Black Arrows
by Louisiana Stephenic
Summary: The best kept secret in all of Sacoridia is about to be revealed. Mornhavon is back and the country brought down to it's knees, but does the most unlikely girl in the world hold the answer to defeating him? Who is the girl who's touch sends Mornhavon screaming in pain?
1. Chapter 1

**The greatest kept secret in all of Sacoridia is about to be revealed... A farm girl is sold into slavery and Karigan is still missing in Blackveil. Mornhanan is back and no one knows his plans. One girl may hold the key, but while battles are going on outside the castle what's happening inside its walls?  
This is my own character but your favourite characters will be here soooon! :D**

As she looked back she remembered. She remembered all her father's drunken beatings, her mother's tears and all her happy Christmases. How could they have done this to her? How could they have sold their only daughter into slavery?

Annora turned to the man who now owned her. He had dark brown hair and hazel eyes. His face had a strong harsh look to it. Edmond of Kanell. That's where she was going. She was going to Kanell. A two week ride away.

Edmond, or master (which she had to call him), had brought two men with him. They wore guard uniforms but it was obvious they were all good friends.

Annora looked back at her mother. She was going away. Away from her mother who was always there to look after her and she would never see her again. She would never see anyone again. Not her mother, not her father and not her step brothers. They stood there with their arms around her mother trying to sooth her. Annora couldn't help it, she started to cry.

"Come on. Let's not wait for the grass to grow. We have a two week ride ahead of us." Edmond tried a smile at Annora, but his face looked like a giant frog. Tears came down Annora's cheeks.

Edmond clicked and one of the guard men came forward with a pack pony and just looked at Annora expecting her to mount.

The girl turned around to her parents and snarled at her father. "I hope you have enough money to pay your debts and buy more alcohol. Bye mum, bye Gregory, bye Thomas." She wished she could say more. Thank them for all their help and support when her father hit her or yelled at her, but she couldn't. The words chocked in the throat and all she could say was bye.

Annora climbed up onto the pony's back and then they turned around and left the only place she had ever known.

They stopped just outside the village of Appleby. Edmond and his guards sat around a camp fire and Annora sat next to them. She stayed as quiet as a mouse trying not to draw attention to herself, as the men drunk and laughed next to her.

"Well you did pretty good this round didn't you Ed?" The guard named Greg asked Edmond.

Edmond smiled. "So, my dear, what's your name?" He turned to Annora.

"Ummm, my name is Annora." She said quietly. She was getting scared.

"Nice name." Edmond said. "So how old are you?"

"Um, sixteen." Annora muttered.

"Sixteen master." Edmond corrected her. "You're going to need to start showing me some respect. I'll let you off for now, but when we get to Kanell, if you don't show respect you'll get punished. It'd be a shame to ruin your pretty face." Edmond went for a smile and Annora ended up flinching from the sight of it.

All was quiet while Greg was on watch. Annora had lain down next to the fire. She gripped the pot tightly. This was her chance to get away and finally be free for once.

Annora tried to imagine Greg as a chicken. One of the chickens she used to have to sneak up on and knock out. She stood up slowly. Greg stiffened and Annora swung.

Greg fell to the ground, Annora jumped over him and went to jump over the fire. She fell to the ground and kicked out into Greg's face. She scrambled up and squealed as the fire's coals burned her.

Annora took off into the forest. Not caring where she went as long as it was away from her 'master'.

The forest was eerily quiet. Not a thing stirred, even the wind was still. Annora planned what she would do next. She would get a job at a respectable inn, then she would make enough money to buy a farm.

Suddenly Annora felt a jarring pain in her ankle. She fell hard on her face. Strong hands pulled her up and turned her head to look at them.

Annora moaned. She was looking into the eyes of Edmond.

"Now what do we have here?" Edmond smiled. "Trying to escape are we?" The guard named Truman laughed.

"I. I. I got lost." Annora almost laughed at her stupid excuse.

Edmond laughed. Then, without warning, he turned and slapped her so hard he put all her father's beatings to shame.

"Never try to escape again or you'll end up getting whipped." Truman then pulled Annora all the way back to the camp site.

That night Annora dreamed of her mother. She came to her and sung the songs she used to sing when Annora had been hit by her father. Annora didn't know what she said because she sung in a different language. She used to say she was taught it by a traveller. Annora was upset when she was shook awake by Greg. They set off again towards Kanell.

This time they stopped in an inn. It was called The Black Arrow. They ordered dinner and sat down at a table next to the fire.

Greg brought back stew for everyone and bread for him, Truman and Edmond. Annora just had stew to eat.

She sat quietly in the corner gulping down her dinner in case they took it away from her.

The door opened and in walked a man in a deep black cloak. He had his hood up so Annora couldn't see his face. He carried a long bow and arrows.

After talking to the innkeeper he sat at a table in the corner and Annora felt as if he was watching her.

"Come on, let's go to bed." Truman whispered in his harsh gravel like voice.

Edmond nodded. "No good ever came from King's Arrows."

"Come on." Greg pulled Annora to her feet and they walked to the stairs and disappeared upstairs. As Annora left she felt the man's eyes on her.

Annora had never seen a King's Arrow before, she'd heard of them, but thought they were made up. They rode like the wind on horses as black as night. They never missed a shot and they were experts at swordsmanship. Some people said they had magical powers.

Annora dreamed of horses. She dreamed of a place where she was free. Free of everything, free of her father, free of rules, free of walls and doors and free of Edmond. Annora was shocked at the hatred that burned inside her. She hated Edmond. She hated how he took advantage of a drunk and forced him to sell his daughter as a slave.

**Disclaimer: **In this chapter I own everything :)  
**So, what did you think? Could you please REVIEW and tell me what you think?!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here comes the next chapter! I wrote these first two chapters last year and didn't know what to do with them. I really liked them and didn't want to just delete them so I changed it and made this fanfiction :D Please enjoy this chapter and tell me what you think :P All suggestions are very welcome :D enjoy!**

"Sir Edmond Hindberg." A strong voice called out and stopped the small group from continuing.

Out of the forest rode the black arrow from the inn. He wasn't riding a black war horse, he was riding a grey mare. She didn't look like much but Annora thought she would have a lot of speed and power. He still wore his black cloak with its hood up.

Annora wished she had a cloak like his. It looked incredibly warm and winter was coming.

"What are you doing so far from Kanell?" The man asked and Annora felt his eyes on her, even though his head didn't move.

"We're allowed to go wherever we like." Edmond said with a lot of venom.

"Slavery is banned in all of Sacoridia, by order of the King." The man said back, looking meaningfully at Annora.

"Annora has chosen to join us in Kanell in exchange for getting away from her abusive father." The lie tumbled easily from Edmond's mouth.

"So you came all this way from Kanell to help Annora?" The man asked.

"Yes we did. Didn't we Annora?" Annora felt Greg's knife sticking into her back warning her of what would happen if she said something wrong.

"It's true. Edmond came here to help me get away from my father." Annora looked meaningfully at the stranger, hoping he'd get her hidden message.

"What are you actually doing away from Kanell?" The stranger's voice was dangerously quiet.

"We did nothing illegal. Back off arrow. This doesn't have anything to do with the King." Edmond threatened.

"If you've been to Gullid it concerns the King." The hooded man's voice was low but it carried easily.

"Well luckily I haven't been there then." Edmond growled. He turned his horse and continued down the road.

Annora couldn't help it; she looked back at the stranger who seemed to be looking right at her. Annora scolded herself for thinking such ridiculous thoughts. She would never get out of here.

Annora had been tied up. Edmond didn't trust her after her escape attempt. She was tied up to a tree.

Annora didn't mind too much because she could eat easily but it was almost impossible to get comfortable. She had finally fallen into a very deep sleep, but was awoken by Truman's roar of anger.

When Annora opened her eyes she saw the King's arrow get punched in the face by Truman. He was holding what appeared to be a letter in his hand.

Truman kneed him in the face and the man turned then swung a sabre out of nowhere and sliced Truman's face open. Greg ran forward with his sword and the black arrow and Greg got into an intense fight full of turns and incredible sword play.

The arrow's cloak came off and he tossed it into Greg's face. He kicked out and Greg fell to the ground.

Annora felt hope blossom inside her, but she and the arrow had forgotten about Edmond.

Edmond punched the other man in the face and Annora cringed at the sickening thud that came with it, but the man was only slightly dazed. Edmond tripped him and Truman and Greg grabbed his arms.

The fight was over, the arrow, and Annora's last hope, had lost.

Edmond punched the man in the face again. He was a lot younger than everyone had thought given his skill with a sword and all his threats.

Greg had tied the young man's hands behind him and was holding him up as Edmond punished him. Truman was busy sewing up his face.

"How dare you steal my stuff, you bloody traitor." Edmond spat.

"Traitor! You're the person who is encouraging slavery, and associating with Gerald Tilah against the King's orders. It's all in that letter, evidence of your treachery." The young man had startling green eyes and auburn colored hair that came to his shoulders. He looked only 5 years older than her.

"Gerald should, and will, be King. King Zachary is nothing and will die soon. His followers are even worse. Someone younger and stronger needs to take the throne, someone who will destroy the problem in the South." Edmond gave his opinion.

"Wait till the king hears about his." The black arrow threatened.

"Who says the king will?" The young man blanched.

"What do you mean? If you kill me someone will come looking." The man said.

"He's right." Greg butted in. "The arrows are a tight group; there's only a few of them. They'll look for their own, and when they find him dead, questions will be asked."

"Then we take him with us. You'll get a good price for him. He's muscular and a farmer always needs help chopping wood and such." Truman smiled at the stranger's future, his cut making him look sinister.

"What's your name?" Edmond asked.

"Kyden, sir. And I will never be a slave." Edmond sneered and punched him in the face. Edmond had slapped Annora because she was a girl, but he punched Kyden.

Truman grabbed him and tried him to a tree near Annora. The young man had fallen unconscious.

"Are you alright?" Annora asked as Kyden woke up.

He moaned.

"Edmond hit you hard." Annora swallowed. "Ummm, thank you. Even though you kind of failed, you sort of tried to save me." Annora smiled slightly as Kyden looked up.

"How'd you get caught up with this crowd?" He asked her as he rubbed his cheek.

She didn't bother to hide the hatred in her voice. "Edmond got my father drunk at an inn. At the end of the night he had bought me from him. My own father sold me so he could pay back his debts, and my mother could do nothing." She blinked back tears and tried to swallow back the sudden lump in her throat.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's nothing. I'm going to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day." Annora turned away from Kyden's green eyes.

Because of their new prize and future slave, they had to stay away from towns and well travelled roads.

Annora and Kyden hadn't talked since the night he was captured.

It was late one night after Edmond, Greg and Truman had drunk a lot of beer that they finally had passed out.

"I just want to get out of here." Annora sighed, breaking the silence, and looked up at the star filled night sky.

"Would you do anything to get out of here?" Kyden asked her.

The question took Annora off guard so she could only nod.

"Ok," Kyden shifted his weight and pulled a knife out of his boot, "Well I have just one thing to ask of you, and I understand if you say no, but what I'm asking is a big thing." He said while cutting his own bonds.

"What is it?" Annora asked hesitantly as Kyden started to free her.

"The information in that letter is very important. How scared are you of Edmond?" Kyden smiled at her.

"You want me to steal the letter?"

"No. What I'm asking is much more difficult. I need you to deliver the letter to the King."

Annora just stared at him. "Deliver the letter, to the King? Why can't you do it?"

"I will. I'm going to travel on the kings crossing to the castle. I'll tell him what's in the letter. I need you to go by the thieves' road and take the letter to him." He snuck up to his horse and the pack pony. "If you were Edmond and a farm girl escaped and so did a black arrow which would you think is more dangerous? He'll follow me and if I get to the castle first I can tell the king, but if I get caught you'll be able to deliver the letter, and Edmond will never know." Kyden smiled at the thought.

"But, but I can't do that." Annora protested.

"Annora, I won't force you to do anything and no matter what, you're free. But don't you want to stop Edmond? Don't you want to help save the kingdom?"

What could she say to that?

"So, all I have to do is travel to the castle by the thieves' road?"

"Yes, stay away from people as much as possible and when you get there give the letter straight to the king. And I'll most likely be there already so you won't have to worry." Kyden smiled at her. "Stay here." He then snuck over to Edmond and picked the letter out of his breast pocket.

"Franji will carry you well. She's an arrow horse, so she'll protect you." He then picked up Truman's boot, for some strange reason Kyden seemed to hate Truman and wanted to make him suffer. From inside the boot he pulled a handful of money.

"Just a little to help you along." Kyden smiled wickedly and held out the money. "I suggest you hide it in your boots too, along with the letter. If thieves give you trouble they most likely won't take your boots."

Annora stared in horror at the thought of being attacked by thieves. The thieves' road wasn't always called that. Its original name was 'Daviod's Road' named after one of the first kings of Sacoridia, but because of the thieves and cut throats that preyed on the weak it changed.

"But what if I get attacked?"

"A show of strength. If you wear this cloak and you have a sword most bandits will think twice about attacking you." Kyden passed his cloak and sword over to Annora.

"What are you going to use?"

"I have Truman's." He smiled.

They both mounted.

"I'll be there to great you. Ride hard and ride safe."

"You too." Annora smiled half-heartedly. They hadn't really been friends but Annora would worry about him. Kyden didn't know what he had sent Annora into and he knew he would worry about her.

"Go down there and keep to the road but stay away from people." Kyden said one last pointer.

The two prisoners turned their horses away from each other and disappeared into the night.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own King Zachary or Sacoridia :)  
**In the next chapter your favourite characters will make an entrance and all may be revealed :D please review and tell me if I'm doing well :) **


	3. Chapter 3

**Here comes the next chapter :) all your favourite characters are coming! Please review and tell me how I could make this story even more awesome! Sorry about the Sophia confusion. That was Annora's original name :) Enjoy...**

Annora shook from the cold. It was raining and she huddled closer to the little fire she had managed to make. She had made a little shelter out of the cloak Kyden had given her.

What was she doing here? Why did she agree to this? She would end up dying from cold or be killed by bandits.

"Franji, what am I doing here?" Annora asked the pack pony. She hadn't known it was an arrows horse, or even that black arrows were real.

The horse rubbed its muzzle against her cheek and she patted her. She seemed to say 'it's in your nature'.

Annora saw a light in the distance and quickly put the fire out, huddled under the coat and attempted to sleep.

Annora sneaked through towns in the dead of night and hid in the forest when someone passed her on the road. The whole time she was worried about Kyden.

He had freed her from the clutches of Edmond, Truman and Greg and now he was risking his life for the kingdom.

Kyden was the bravest man she'd ever met and she couldn't forget his green eyes.

"Come on let's get going. I need to buy more food." Annora mounted the mare and they set off again. They were lucky and hadn't been attacked by thieves, yet.

They had been riding for most of the day when suddenly Franji buckled. She skirted around and Annora fought to keep her in check. Something was scarring her.

Two people jumped out of the bushes in front of her and two from behind. One guy ran and grabbed Franji's bridle and pulled Annora from the saddle.

"Please let me go." She cried out in fear.

"Shush, give us all your money and we'll let you live." The man's breath smelled of beer, making Annora want to retch.

"I don't have anything." Annora tried but the thief just shook her roughly.

"Put her down." A voice ordered, a voice she wished she'd never hear again.

Truman and Greg walked from the bushes and the bandits backed away. Three ran away but the man holding Annora didn't seem fazed at all.

"What do ye want Truman? This was my catch." The man shook Annora again.

"Do you want to take this up with Edmond?" Greg asked and the man let go of Annora and shrunk back into the bushes.

Annora's heart was racing and she couldn't believe that they'd been wrong. She couldn't believe that Truman and Greg had come after her and not Kyden.

"Come on Annora." Truman took a step forward and Annora took one back, careful to keep both of them in her sight.

"I'm not going to become a slave." Annora told them and they laughed.

Franji whinnied and Annora realized she was walking away from her. Annora jumped forward and pulled the sabre from its sheath then danced away.

She could do this. She'd been dodging cups and plates and swipes from her father since before she could remember, and she used to have mud fights with her step brothers. She could do this.

But it wasn't anything like mud pies. What if she killed one of them? Annora quickly dismissed the idea. She would never be able to hurt these masters.

Annora swiped at Greg and he joined her in a rally before hitting her across the ear with the flat of his blade. She cried out in frustration and attacked again.

Again Greg hit her across the head. The next time was the knee. He went for the knees and Annora jumped. She shoved her shoulder against him and he stumbled backwards, anger obvious on his face.

When he attacked next it wasn't with the flat of his blade.

Annora fell back against a large rock, blood coming from a cut on her head, knee and arm.

Greg grabbed her hair and leaned in close. "You're going to wish you hadn't done that girl. If Edmond didn't want you alive you'd be dead."

Annora shivered under his cold glare. She had to get out of this she had to get to the castle.

Annora did the only thing she could. She slammed her forehead into his. Greg stumbled back and Annora ran to Franji.

Her head killed, she couldn't see properly. The only thing she could do was hold on. She turned Franji into the bushes and away from the road and Franji took off into the brush.

Kyden glared at Edmond. Their weapons stood between them and they waited for the other to move.

"Where's Greg and Truman?" Kyden asked, hoping to buy more time.

"They've gone after Annora. You really shouldn't have put her in more danger." Edmond took a step forward.

"I didn't put her in danger, you did." Kyden tried not to think of the girl he probably did send into danger. Edmond was trying to confuse him when Kyden was meant to be confusing Edmond.

Suddenly Edmond moved, he jumped forward and, as Kyden went to attack from behind, elbowed the younger man in face.

The horse trotted straight to the castle's front door. It hadn't come through the town and it didn't come through the castle gate. It was just suddenly at the front door.

There wasn't normally a guard at the door and there wasn't one that night. It was luck that had a guard passing by and a green rider.

They stared at the horse and half dead rider. She hung limp in the saddle.

The girl looked up as Mara went to lift the girl's head.

"I must see the king." The girl's voice was hoarse and scratchy. She looked absolutely exhausted.

"You cannot see him." Mara told the girl. Shock and fear lit up her features and she half fell half climbed off the horse.

"Please, it's urgent." The girl pleaded. "Look at me, I am no threat to him."

"You're about to fall over. You may see him in the morning." Mara looked at the horse. It was of the riders breed but wasn't one she'd seen before. The cloak looked extremely warm and strange.

Mara turned to the guard. "She can't really do any harm." The girl swayed on the spot. Her eyes fading.

"Take her saber away and we'll take her to him." The guard said and Mara took girl's weapon from her.

It was strange. It had a leather handle and was too well made for a commoner to have.

"Wait, Franji." The girl grabbed hold of her horse.

"Don't worry. Hep will look after him." A man ran up and took the horse. Mara steered the girl into the castle.

Halfway to the throne room the girl couldn't walk by herself. Mara tried to convince the girl to sleep first but she refused to.

The girl was bleeding from various wounds and looked thin and sick.

Finally they reached the throne room. People were still trying to speak with the King.

Mara and Captain Jacob made their way through the crowd and to the front, carrying the girl between them.

"Mara, what's going on?" Mapstone asked.

"She said it's urgent." Mara bowed to the king and Queen.

King Zachary stood up and the herald Neff told everyone to leave.

"Get the girl a chair. She can't even stand by herself." Queen Estora ordered and the girl collapsed into a hard chair.

King Zachary stared at the sabre the girl's cloak. There was something in his eyes that startled everyone there.

"What's your name?" Zachary asked tenderly.

Lauren felt uneasy. The look on Zachary's face and his actions and the girl were scarring her.

The girl swallowed and looked into her monarchy's eyes. "A, Annora."

"Annora, who gave you this cloak and sabre?" There was an urgency in his voice but he kept whatever it was in check.

"His, his name was Kyden. He should be here. He said he'd meet me here." Annora stumbled over her words. She remembered the letter and tugged her boot off before giving it to the King.

Everyone tensed as he reached for her boot but Zachary held up a hand. He frowned as he read the letter.

"Where were," Zachary looked up and saw the girl almost fall off the chair. "Donald," one of the weapons emerged from the shadows, "take her to, you know where."

The stone faced weapon nodded and helped the girl to her feet and they left the room.

**Disclaimer: **The only characters I own are Annora, Kyden, Franji :), Truman, Greg, Edmond and Captain Jacob :D  
**Please review and tell me how you're thinking? Tell me anything you would love to see and I'll try to put it innnn :P REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here comes the next chapter! Please sit and enjoy this chapter and once you're finished I would really appreciate it if you review! :D forgive any spelling mistakes :P**

"Zachary, what is going on?" Lauren asked but the King just shook his head and walked from the room and into his study. He sunk into a chair by the fire. He looked like he'd aged well beyond his years in a few minutes.

Zachary took the saber from Mara then dismissed her and the captain. He's eyes were troubled as he looked at the weapon.

"Fastion, could you get Henry?" The weapon walked off leaving only two to guard the monarchs.

"Zachary, what's going on? How could you leave yourself so vulnerable? That girl could have easily killed you." Lauren decided to ask about his safety before demanding what was in the letter.

"Kyden wouldn't send someone dangerous to me." Zachary muttered as he twisted the saber around.

"Who's Kyden?" Estora asked.

"He's a black arrow."

"What's a black arrow?" Lauren smiled. "Surely not the black arrows in stories?"

"Normally only the Royal family and the weapons know this, but you're basically my older sister." Zachary told Lauren. "Black arrows are very real. They're a whole other division that, to put it bluntly, are the King's spies."

"A whole other division. I've been to every corner of Sacoridia, why have I never met a single arrow barracks?" Lauren asked. She was getting worried. How could he have kept such a secret from her?

"Their barracks are inside the castle. They are below the battlements but above the fifth floor." Zachary explained. "The weapons were the only people other than me that knew about this, until now."

"How have I never run into a black arrow before?" Lauren asked. Queen Estora had accepted the idea better than Lauren and was listening intently to everything being said.

"You probably have. There are only 7, maybe 8, of them."

"Seven, there are seven in this group? How can they do anything?" Lauren was finding this very hard to comprehend. How could such things be unknown to her?

"They work best alone. They find their ways into the most impossible places. Imagine seven Beryls, and they're in even more danger than she." Zachary finished and the door opened.

A man walked in. He was young, around twenty four, with brown hair and a handsome smile. He walked in at ease but upon seeing Lauren and Estora, bowed low.

"It's alright Henry, they know." At Zachary's words the young man stood at ease once more.

"Did the girl tell you what happened to Kyden?" Henry sat down on a chair without being asked to. Lauren found his lack of manners very discomforting. Even she had to be professional but this guy wasn't.

"No, she was about to faint." Zachary told him. "I sent her to you straight away."

"We should be able to use her, but what was in the letter?"

"Evidence, evidence of Edmond's betrayal and of Gerald Tilah." Zachary sighed.

"We always knew he wasn't happy." Henry told him.

"I know but now we have proof. We should pull Lillian out of there." Henry just shook his head at Zachary's words.

"No, if they're planning something big it'll be good to have her in on it." Henry told them.

"What about Darien?"

Henry bit his lip. "What about him?"

"Annora rode up on Franji."

Henry took a deep breath. "I know, but it's just an occupational hazard. She knows the risks."

"Once Annora's rested and recovered bring her to me and we'll find out what happened." Zachary told him.

"Okay, see ya." And with that Henry left. Without bowing, without asking for permission, he just left.

"That's Henry." Zachary smiled at the horrified women.

Annora was taken up some stairs and through a wall. They came out in a dark room. There where hooks for weapons and cloaks and a nice fire in the hearth.

Two girls were playing intrigue and one guy was resting in a chair.

"I'll leave her in your care." The person holding her said then left.

The two girls jumped up and took hold of Annora before she collapsed.

The man got up. "What's your name?"

"Annora," she told him but couldn't find the strength to say anything else. Slowly her vision went black and she thought no more.

Annora woke in a bed. It was soft and warm. The room was dark but her body knew it was day time.

There wasn't a single window in the room but a lamp was on the bedside table. Annora reached out and lit it.

The room had a mirror on the wall and a wardrobe plus a desk with a chair.

The place was completely unfamiliar to her but she was too hungry to worry. She tried to remember the events of last night and managed to remember all the way up to King Zachary dismissing her.

Someone knocked on the door and it opened. In walked a girl slightly familiar.

She had brown hair and smiled at Annora. She looked to be 18 years old.

"Good morning, you probably don't remember but my name is Delia." The young woman was carrying a tray full of food.

Annora felt her mouth water.

"I brought you something to eat." Delia chuckled as Annora attacked the food and cleaned the plate easily.

"Umm, did someone want to know my story?" Annora asked as she gulped down some water.

"Well, you don't have to now because Kyden turned up an hour ago. He's completely fine. If anything he's put on weight." Delia huffed. "Can't believe he never comes home sick."

"Where is he? Can I see him?" Annora asked sending crumbs everywhere.

Delia burst into laughter. "Of course you can, but first you must have a bath. Not being rude or anything, but you stink."

Delia's laughter turned out to be contagious and Annora laughed along with her.

Lauren kept an eye out for possible Black Arrows but saw no one. Rather discouraged she walked towards the riders common room when she saw two young women who didn't look very innocent to Lauren.

She almost fainted as she recognized one of them. It was the girl from last night. She walked with her head high, no longer looked half dead or about to faint.

Annora's hair had been washed and she walked next to Delia towards the horse's paddocks.

Delia turned out to have the funniest personality ever and Annora found herself at complete ease with her.

Everyone stopped and stared as the two walked past but they hardly saw Delia. Annora's hair had been washed and brushed. Every time she walked through the sun it would sparkle. It was long and came to her hips and it was blonde. Such a gorgeous blonde that even Queen Estora would be jealous.

"Kyden!" Delia called to the guy as he patted Franji's nose.

"Annora," His face lot up with relief. "Are you alright?"

"Yes I'm fine." Annora laughed. She looked him over for injuries but could find none and relaxed.

"I'm sorry I've forced you into this kind of life, but you can still get out of it." Kyden told her.

"What I've heard of you guys is that you're saving your country from horrible people. Why wouldn't I want to help my country?" Annora smiled. It was true, why wouldn't she?

"The danger." Delia suggested.

"That just makes life more exciting." Annora and the two laughed.

"Well, welcome to the Black Arrows." Kyden welcomed.

"Is that all?" Annora asked. "Shouldn't there be like rituals or something?"

Kyden and Delia looked at each other.

"No not really." Delia told her.

"Oh," Annora felt slightly disappointed.

"You'll have to do something about her hair." Kyden told Delia.

"What's wrong with my hair?" Annora asked.

"It stands out too much but you can worry about it later. We have training." Kyden and Delia started to walk off.

"What do you mean training?" Annora asked.

"Think of it as a test." Kyden told her.

"You have to survive your first combat training with the weapons." Delia added.

"But_, what? I'll be killed." The other just laughed and she was forced to follow them.

**Disclaimer: **The only characters I own are Annora, Kyden, Delia, Henry, Edmond and well a couple of others :D but all your favourite characters are Kristen Britains :)  
**What did you think? Please review and I'll make my writing better :P if there is anything you want to happen, please tell me! :D REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Felt like updating another chapter so here it is! Please sit and relax but I feel this chapter might be a bit fast moving :P **

Annora was so tired. She couldn't believe that she'd arrived at the castle only the night before. She already felt like she belonged with the arrows, and training with the weapons was so educational. After only one lesson she'd already learnt so much.

She had written a letter and had just sent it to her mother when she was walking back to the Arrow's hidey hole.

She was busy wondering if she'd put someone wrong in her letter. She had said she'd run away and got a job at an inn in the city. Would her mother believe her? Would she come and check on her?  
These questions danced through her head and he was so busy that she bumped right into a black wall. She was too tired to stop her fall so she fell to the ground hard.

"I'm sorry, are you alright?" The wall she'd hit turned out to be a person. He was in his mid forties and had black hair with a few grey hairs through it. He wore all black and Annora realized he was a black shield.

The man walking with him was Donald, the weapon who had carried her to the hidey hole.

"I'm fine. I wasn't looking where I was going." Annora smiled but it dropped as she looked at him. He was staring at her with such blue, intense eyes it made her legs shake with fear. He stared at her like she was a ghost.

"I_, I've got to go." Annora turned around and fled pretty quickly back to her new room.

"What was that about?" Donald asked Bernard.

"She looked so much like someone I met years ago. Do you know who she is?" Bernard was completely unnerved by that girl.

"Her name is Annora. She's now a black arrow. Only came last night." Donald told his superior officer.

"Oh,"

The two weapons continued on to the meeting room where they found King Zachary in debate with the green rider captain and the captain of the army, as well as the captain of the light cavalry.

"We have to pull Alton back so all the lords can think of solutions to our Mornhavon problem." Zachary was saying. Most of them shook their heads.

"I agree completely." Bernard said as he came in.

The King's face changed into a smile. "Bernard! So glad you could make it."

The two shook hands and the older man smiled broadly.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world. As I was saying, King Zachary is right. You can't expect to lock Mornhavon behind a wall again. You must destroy him and to do that you need all the lords here." Bernard told them.

"And you must be the new weapon adviser." Captain Mapstone said.

"Yep, came out of retirement to join this little council." The weapon smiled and sat down.

No more than two minutes had passed when the door was slammed open.

Bernard sprung to his feet, weapon at the ready.

Standing at the door were two Eletians. Their moon armor was covered in mud. Their hair was messy and had many twigs stuck in it. They looked more human than any Eletian had before.

Lauren recognized one of the Eletians as Telagioth, how could she have forgotten his clear blue eyes? The other Eletian had spines coming from his armor but she'd never met him before.

"We mean you no harm, your majesty." Telagioth held his hands up in surrender. "We are simply in a hurry."

The other Eletian stepped forward.

"My name is Ealdaen. We have found out where Karigan Galadeon is, but she's being watched over by Mornhavon himself."

Lauren had to tell herself to continue breathing. The thought of Karigan being alive and about to come home, made her want to cry with happiness.

"Are you here to request soldiers for a rescue?" Zachary asked a bit too hastily.

"No, we are simple looking for a young woman. Her house had been burned to the ground and her guardian killed. Is Annora here?" Ealdaen asked.

"Annora, how can she help?" Zachary frowned.

"There is no time. We need her." Screams interrupted whatever Telagioth was going to say.

Everyone ran from the room and into the corridor.

They saw Truman dragging a fighting Annora down the corridor. She kicked and bit and head butted but nothing loosened his grip.

Greg was walking backwards behind him. He was fighting with Kyden. Their swordplay was incredible.

Bernard joined the fight but Greg somehow managed to handle them both.

Ealdaen pulled back an arrow aimed at Truman's head. He had reached the end of the corridor and turned back to the wild chaos of the corridor.

"Greg." Truman called as the sword master kicked his opponents back. He ran down the corridor and laid a hand on Truman's shoulder.

Thurman pulled at a knot of string and a spider web appeared in front of the three and they disappeared.

"No!" Telagioth screamed and pounded on the wall.

Black shields appeared and removed all citizens from the corridor.

"We must go." Ealdaen pulled Telagioth away from the wall and they went to leave the castle, but were stopped by a wall of weapons.

"You're not going until you tell us what is so important about my arrow." Zachary's voice was low and threatening.

This was a side of him that Lauren had never seen before. A side of him that was extremely possessive. She assumed that he had a very close relationship with all his Black arrows.

"If we tell you everything she'll be dead. Mornhavon will kill her without hesitation." Ealdaen told them.

"If Annora dies, war will break out in Sacoridia." Telagioth said strongly.

"Sacoridia is already at war." Lauren figured it was time she speak up.

"Not war between humans, but war between immortals. It will be the most disastrous war in the world. The last war which came close was when I was 21." Ealdaen's voice was fast and serious. "And I'm really really old."

"If you're going to get her I'm coming." Kyden told him.

"You won't be able to keep up. We have, at most, until morning to get all the way to Gullid." Telagioth explained.

"That's a two week journey, and you're planning to get there in a few hours?" Lauren asked shocked.

"If you let us pass." Ealdaen said and the weapons moved aside.

The two Eletians nodded at Bernard as they left.

"What was that all about?" Zachary asked.

"I don't know, but I don't like it." Bernard spoke quietly.

"Who is Annora?" Lauren asked as everyone left. Lauren, Zachary and Bernard walked back inside the meeting room.

"I think she is my daughter." Bernard told them.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of your favourite characters :) I own Annora, Kyden, Bernard, Truman and Greg :P **  
Ohhhhhh :) cliffy! What do you think about Bernard's claim? Please review and we shall find out what has become of Karigan and Annora :D **


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry this is a short chapter but I think it's less fast moving :) Thanks for the reviews please continue to show your support :D forgive any spelling mistakes :) **

Annora had collapsed as light filled her vision. When she opened her eyes again it was early morning. Her head hurt and the sun was too bright.

She was outside and had been chained to a stone. As she woke up Truman unlocked the manacle around her wrist.

"Where are we? Why are you chasing me?" Annora asked terrified.

Truman just smiled horribly and he and Greg pulled her to her feet.

They were in a rather big town. It was made of stone. They took her to the town square and Annora's knees became too weak to hold her.

The town square was massive. It had a fountain and a stone table.

A woman lay on the stone. Her eyes were closed and she looked troubled. Her brow was furrowed and her muscles tensed. The young woman had brown hair with a strange cowlick to it. Annora knew her name but had never met her before. It was Sir Karigan G'ladheon.

A man stood in the square. He stood in the very middle and stood still, but Annora could see him everywhere.

She wasn't seeing but feeling his presence. He turned around and Annora gasped.

His skin was bronze and his hair was jet black and his eyes were a beautiful dark colour. He was literally a vision.

Truman pushed Annora to the ground at Mornhavon's feet. The movement forcing tears to emerge.

"Hmm, I imagined you older." His voice was something from both nightmares and dreams. "No, matter." Mornhavon bent down and brushed Annora's cheek with the back of his hand.

The action made her shudder in revulsion.

"A shame you're not older," Mornhavon held Annora's chin in his hand, not gently, "your mother's touch was like poison and I was curious to what yours would be like."

He laughed at the disgusted look on her face and roughly let go of her.

"You're just as beautiful as your mother was." Mornhavon said, momentarily wrapped in his own memories.

"Sadly she's dead. Just like your guardian and her husband. Once I've killed you I might go after your step brothers." Mornhavon laughed cruelly.

Annora growled and jumped at him. Something inside her made her move with speed beyond her normal self. Annora knew she wouldn't break skin. Her nails were always too short, but Mornhavon screamed.

He screamed and moved back away from her, clutching his face.

"Kill her." He called through his screams.

Truman pulled out his sword and he swiped at her. Annora just managed to avoid having her head removed but received a cut on her forehead.

Annora pulled out a knife that was hidden in a sheath strapped to her back. She blocked a strike then kicked Truman in the chest.

She ran towards the sleeping form of Sir Karigan.

The moment she touched her skin the woman sat up, the power that surrounded her broken.

People surrounded them and Truman ran at them. Arrows sawed from the tree line and one slammed into Truman.

Two Eletians appeared and one grabbed Annora's free hand and the other Karigan's.

The Eletian went to run back into the trees, but Annora could see paths that no one else could. She saw one, like the solution to a maze and she pulled the chain in a different direction.

They ran and ran until they finally entered a clearing. The clearing seemed disconnected to the world. Pale stones with runes chiseled into them surrounded the place.

Annora felt the taint of Mornhavon leave them. She'd felt dirty since he'd touched her and as his black taint left her she felt exhausted.

The group stopped and looked at the girl.

She swayed on the spot and Ealdaen caught her as she collapsed. He placed her on the ground.

"So fair, yet so dangerous." He muttered.

Ealdaen looked up only to be tackled into a hug by Karigan. By the look on Telagioth's face he'd only just been released from one, too.

"What happened? The mask shattered when it landed at his feet, but what happened next?" Karigan asked.

"Mornhavon managed to stop you from being transported somewhere else. Lynx went back to the castle and told the king and queen what had happened. The King is married." Ealdaen told her gently.

Karigan felt betrayed. She felt betrayed by everyone but Ealdaen, Telagioth, Lynx, Yates and this girl who'd just saved her.

"What did you mean by so fair, yet so dangerous?" Karigan asked.

"It's a long story." Telagioth told her.

"Who is she? Why is she so important?" Karigan could almost feel the importance coming from this young lady.

"I guess it starts with the fact that she's a princess." Ealdaen started.

**Disclaimer:** I own Truman, Greg and Annora :) but no one else!  
**Ohhhhhhhh :O she's a princess? Tell me what you think and please review :D Everything is going to be revealed in the next chapter so get ready :P and review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry it's been a while but sister has been hogging the laptop trying to book flights for her holiday :( but I've continued writing and this is what I've come up with :) please forgive spelling mistakes and good luck :P **

"She's an Eletian princess?"

"No," Ealdaen snapped almost before she'd finished asking the question. "Her tale goes back long before the great war."

"All the way back to when the Arcosian people were just beginning to make huts." Telagioth added in.

"There was two differen immortals that wandered this land. There was the Eletians," Ealdaen took a deep breath, "and the Elves."

"Elves?" The word trickled off Karigan's tongue. It was magnificent. The word was full of wonder and she couldn't believe she'd never heard of them.

"There were many similarities between the two. We were both immortal but as we used magic every day, our armour, our weapons, our houses, the elves were made of magic." Ealdaen explained.

"An obvious difference are their ears." Karigan frowned at Telagioth's words. "Elf ears are pointy." When he pulled back Annora's hair they could see the difference.

"Annora is only half elf. So her ears aren't as pointy." Ealdaen explained.

"So what happened to the elves?"

"There was a war. A war between Eletians and Elves. When the long war started Queen Yulania and King Santanara made an alliance. Our two people were now working together." Ealdaen answered.

"But the peace was not meant to be. Queen Yulania was wounded. So wounded she was about to die." Telagioth continued.

"We brought her to Eletia. What you must understand is that when an elf has a child, half the mother and father's life magic moves into them. The more children they have the less magic they keep." Ealdaen spoke to Karigan like he had been there.

"Queen Yulania had already had one child. Princess Renell, who later became queen. When the queen died her power would flow back into her daughter, but instead of leaving her power to her daughter she gave it to the king. She gave her life magic to King Santanara and because of that the war against Mornhavon was won."

"But the elves blamed us for the death of their queen and once King Santanara retreated into sleep they attacked. The young Queen Renell tried to bring peace to her people but we can't live side by side. So the elves left this place and traveled west and away." Telagioth continued the story.

"But how is Annora their princess?" Karigan questioned.

"The queen and a few others stayed back in Blackveil to keep an eye on Mornhavon. It was decided that the queen stay back because he was killed with her mother's life magic, which meant part of her magic. Their magic flows through everything about them so touching his skin with hers made the pain flare again." Telagioth answered.

"Queen Renell was injured and she fell in love with a black shield and they had a daughter, but the queen died in child birth." Ealdaen looked down sadly.

"Immortals can die from child birth?" Karigan thought that it was strange that they could die from something so common.

"Yes. Annora was given to another elf who kept her safe, but we recently found her dead. If Annora died then the elves will come back in anger for revenge." Telagioth's words sent them into silence.

"Why is it the Eletian's fault that they've died?"

"They blame us for the war." Ealdaen shrugged.

"What is this place?" Karigan tried to lighten the mood.

"It's a safe haven. It was made by the elves." Ealdaen answered.

"You can tell by the way the magic is still as powerful today as it was when made." A voice rang out through the clearing and two men, who could only have been elves, walked in.

They were tall with long hair. Their hair came to their stomachs. One was blonde while the other had brown hair. They wore armor not like Eletians but more human like, but made like nothing Karigan had ever seen. They wore cloaks over their armor and had swords and bows.

Ealdaen glared at the blonde haired elf that had spoken.

"What are you doing here, Drandamir?" Ealdaen demanded.

"We are here to protect our queen." The blonde whose name was Drandamir answered.

"How did you manage to get here?" Ealdaen asked.

"A boat came here. There was seven of us but, but we were the only ones to make out of Blackveil." The brown haired one spoke.

It was impossible to tell their age. It's hard to tell an Eletains age but not impossible. Karigan thought that the brunette could have been younger but she had no idea.

"My name is Drandamir. This is Helmond." The two elves bowed.

"Karigan G'ladeon." Karigan managed to just introduce herself.

"You're Lauralin touched, interesting." The elf named Helmond mused.

"In Blackveil we ran into an Eletian of the name Lhean. We healed him and sent him on his way. He's safe in Eletia. You're not going to succeed, you know that?" Drandamir asked.

"We have to try." Telegioth told him.

"But you are_," Drandamir stopped when he saw Annora move.

She was waking up.

**Disclaimer: **I own all elves and Annora :)  
**So, what did you think? Did I explain it well or is everyone confused? Please tell me if there is something you don't get and I'll explain in the next chapter :D sorry if the elves were a bit Lord of the Risngsish but I wondered why Kristin Britain called Eletians Eletians and not elves :P  
Please review and I'll continue to update!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Here is the next chapter :D I've enjoyed writing this and I hope you enjoy reading this :D Please tell me what you think at the end :P here it is!**

Karigan, Telagioth and Ealdaen sat on one side of the clearing around a fire. The two elves and elf princess sat talking quietly on the other side of the clearing. They had been in conference for the rest of the day and were speaking in a different language.

"So, elves, you don't like them much do you?" Karigan asked Ealdaen as casually as she could.

Ealdaen shrugged.

Karigan hated it when he did that. It made her feel... Unwanted? She picked up a stick and started poking it around in the fire. She missed Condor so much. He wouldn't shrug her off.

Ealdaen sighed. "I was at war with them when I was young. They killed many Eletians. I guess that's not really their fault but, you know..."

"I had always feared magic but when I became a Green Rider I realized that it's not so bad." Karigan but her lip, wondering what his reply would be.

"You're wise beyond your years Karigan." Ealdaen smiled at her and she felt her cheeks reddened. She hoped the fire hid it.

"Okay," Drandamir walked up to them, followed by Annora and Helmond.

They sat down around the fire.

"Now, in five days Sacor city will be surrounded by Arcosian soldiers." Karigan gasped at Drandamir's words.

"I need to warn them." Karigan jumped up. Thoughts of friends and family who could be killed in five days ran through her head and she began to panic.

"Karigan," Ealdaen jumped up and grabbed her arm. "There's nothing you can do to help them. You'll end up stuck with them. We need you here. We need your help." Ealdaen's voice was soft and gentle. The way someone would talk to a wild horse or frightened animal.

He slowly sat down and she joined him.

"But what if they get hurt?" Karigan stared at the fire.

"We need you with us." Ealdaen placed a hand on her knee.

Karigan beat back tingly excitement with a mental stick. It had welled up inside her when Ealdaen touch her knee and she hoped it didn't show in her face. "Um, what's your plan?"

"We were hoping to waken King Santanara." Telagioth told her.

Karigan's mouth dropped open. "How?" She asked once the shock had left slightly.

"King Santanara still has Annora's magic inside her. She should be able to reach him and wake him up." Drandamir informed them.

"I don't understand." Annora gasped.

"Your guardian sung you a song. She would have sung to you often. It's a song of waking. You probably understand the words and meaning now." Annora nodded at Drandamir's words.

"The waking isn't the problem. The problem is getting there. You two have been exiled from Eletia." Helmond interrupted.

Ealdaen and Telagioth looked down.

"You've been exiled?" Karigan couldn't believe it.

"We offered the idea to wake the King and ask the elves for help but..." Telagioth trailed off and Karigan couldn't help laughing.

Obviously Eletians and Elves couldn't understand humor because Karigan and Annora were soon the only ones in stitches. Tears leaked from their eyes as they laughed and laughed.

"Do you understand what's happening?" Helmond asked Ealdaen.

He just shrugged and watched the ladies try to stop laughing.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Annora gasped for breath and whipped her eyes.

"We'll leave early in the morning and start towards Eletia. You should all get some sleep." Drandamir dictated and they all set up to sleep.

Karigan was on watch.

The others had only just fallen asleep when she heard the sob. It was a quiet sob. A sob one makes when they've been trying to not cry so hard when they really wanted to. It was a sob that someone couldn't stop and that betrayed their real feelings.

Karigan herself had sobbed like that many times but to hear it come from someone else felt strange.

"It's warmer near the fire." Karigan said softly.

At first she thought that Annora would pretend to be asleep, but after a few seconds the girl sat up and came over. She held her blanket around her tightly, like it would protect her. Her eyes were red and slightly puffy.

Karigan didn't know how to approach the subject, but didn't have to.

"I'm scared. I don't know what's happening and I, I_," Annora took a deep breath. "It's just so scary. I'm only sixteen."

"I understand. It's scary for me to find out about Elves but for you to find out that you're their princess must be terrifying." Karigan told her.

"How old were you when you defeated the King's brother?" Annora asked shyly.

"I was about your age."

"How did you manage to keep going?" Annora whispered.

"It wasn't so much continuing on, it was more not being able to stop. I do what I do out of fear. I'm terrified at what would happen if I don't succeed. Not about me dying, but about what would happen to the people I love." Karigan didn't mind telling Annora. It actually felt good to explain it to another human. Someone who might understand her.

"But I don't have anyone." Annora said sadly.

"You must have someone." Karigan wondered what it'd be like completely alone. She'd felt alone so often but never really was.

"I guess there is my step brothers, but they're not even my step brothers anymore and I don't know where they are. My guardian and her husband are dead. My real dad's somewhere out there but..." Annora trailed off.

"What about king and country?" Karigan asked.

"King Zachary seemed nice when I met him but I was half unconscious. I had fun training with the weapons." Annora smiled faintly at her own memories. "But, that doesn't make me any less scared."

"I know." Karigan said quietly. "Thank you, thank you for saving me back there."

"I, I didn't really, I was just, you're welcome." Annora stuttered.

Karigan smiled. "You'll be alright. Drandamir and Helmond will keep you safe, and I promise I'll be right there."

Annora smiled and the two hugged.

"You should get some sleep." Karigan told her and she went back to her spot.

"Thank you Karigan. Good night."

Karigan watched as the princess fell asleep. She couldn't help but smile at how and who this girl was. She would be alright. She could help win this war.

**Disclaimer: **I own all Elves and Annora's step brothers :D  
**So, just a nice relaxed one for everyone to catch up with how and what the characters are feeling :D please tell me if I've done well :) Sorry if I put a little too much Karigan and Ealdaen in it :) but ****_they had it coming_**** :D anyone who can continue sing that song gets 100 points :P  
please review and tell me what you think? ! :D **


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry it's been a while but school started back and then we went away for the weekend to a place with no electricity :( and then it was my birthday :D but that's no excuse :P here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy it and love ittttt :D forgive the spelling mistakes**

They'd been walking for days and Karigan knew that Annora's feet would be hurting very badly by now.

The miss matched group woke early and walked until close to sunset where they would set up camp. Drandamir and Helmond taught Annora how to fight and Karigan spent the time regathering her strength.

She'd been asleep for too long and her injuries had weakened her.

They reached Eletia in the middle of the night. The moon shone down at them and the place was full of light and hardly any shadows.

There were two towers that stood tall with a door stretching between them. The towers were made of cream coloured bricks. Plants crawled up the sides and penetrated into the building.

"Here we are, Eletia." Drandamir announced.

"I was about to say that." Ealdaen snapped annoyed.

"What do you want, a medal?" Drandamir sneered.

"Yes I would."

"Oh really, well you can take your medal and,"

"Stop! Act your age." Karigan interrupted. "You both are older than the whole green rider corp. added together and you're arguing about who said what."

Karigan glared at the two.

"I'm not that old." Ealdaen muttered.

"Oh yes you,"

"Shut it!" Annora interrupted Drandamir's response. "Let's go."

Karigan and Annora crept forward.

"Halt," a young Eletian stepped out of the door and looked at them, "you're elves. You not meant,"

Whatever the Eletian was going to say was cut off. He slumped to the ground.

Lhean stood behind him holding a metal goblet.

"Karigan." Lhean gave the woman a hug and they entered the fabled land.

Telagioth led the group to the edge of a massive forest.

A gorgeous stone arch marked the start of the magic place. Annora could see the magic in the air. She could see it pulsing below the bark of every tree. The trees were all different. There were oaks, willows, eucalyptus and maples.

Karigan stared at the beautiful trees and could hardly breathe at the sight.

"Which one is he?" Karigan asked.

"We don't know." Ealdaen told her.

"What?! You mean you came all the way here, was exiled, almost killed our monarch and you don't know what tree he is?" Drandamir hissed in disbelief.

"Do you want signs? How about 'welcome murderers. This was to King Santanara'?" Telagioth said sarcastically and glared at Drandamir.

"We've got an angry mob coming after us and we're basically at war with them." Drandamir hissed.

The seven turned back to the group of house like buildings they'd crept through, a bunch of Eletains were running towards them; swords at the ready.

"Thanks for trying anyway." Ealdaen said to the elves defeated.

"It was the least we could do. I mean we did leave you here with Mornhavon." Drandamir told him.

"Annora, where are you going?" Karigan had turned around and saw Annora walking off into the trees.

She hurried up to her. Annora's eyes were closed and she walked in a kind of trance.

"What's wrong with her?" Karigan asked alarmed.

"Nothing, it's just easier with my eyes closed." Annora whispered.

She felt as if something was pulling her. It was like she was following a line of string that was taking her to the King. The path was so obvious. Finally Annora felt the string stop. She opened her eyes and found herself inches away from a tree.

It was a gorgeous green oak tree. It wasn't the biggest or most extravagant tree in the glade but it looked like the strongest. A disease was spreading through the roots of the tree. It was black and tainted of Mornhavon. Annora knew that only the elves could see it clearly.

"That's him." Annora whispered.

"Not meaning to rush you or anything, but we've got a small army coming after us." Lhean urged.

Annora shifted uncomfortably then started to sing.

Karigan felt like time stopped. Annora's voice was the most beautiful thing she'd ever heard. It was magic, pure magic. Karigan had never heard anything like it and she never would. Her voice made tears well up and her breathing to slow. She didn't understand what Annora was singing about but it still made the tears come.

Annora stopped singing and Karigan felt sad that it had ended.

At first nothing happened and then... King Santanara stepped out of the oak.

Karigan was stunned at how young he looked. He wasn't horribly young but he seemed more human and less immortal than the other Eletians. That looked of immortality came from living for hundreds and hundreds of years, but he didn't have it.

He was tall with flaxen hair. His eyes were blue but he didn't seem to be snobby. No matter what room he went in he would draw the eyes of everyone.

He blinked a couple of times and his gaze rested briefly on each of them.

"Why have I been awakened?" His voice was quiet. It didn't suit him. Karigan felt that he should be on a battlefield barking out orders to his troops. To be quiet and slightly frail wasn't right.

"Your majesty, we'll answer all your questions in a minute but we need your help. There is an angry group of Eletians coming here quite quickly. They will kill me and Telagioth," Ealdaen gestured to the Eletians running at them, "they'll torture and kill Drandamir and Helmond, they'll kick Karigan out and they'll,"

Ealdaen trailed off and everyone looked at Annora. She was standing rather close to the King and was swaying on her feet.

Suddenly she collapsed.

It seemed that centuries of sleep hadn't hindered King Santanara's reflexes. He reached out and caught Annora around the waist.

The Eletians stumbled to a halt around the mismatched group.

"You, your majesty?" Prince Jametari stuttered.

"These people are under my protection and none are ever to be hurt." King Santanara's voice was strong and commanding, offering no way of objection. He spoke without looking up from Annora.

"We must speak Ealdaen."

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but all the elves :D  
**So, what did you think? King Santanara is back and ready to RUMBA! Okay to the serious stuff... One sentence in this chapter is from Ice Age 2: the meltdown. Whoever knows what sentence it is wins 50 points! :)  
Please review and I'll write more quicker than before :D  
REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Here comes the next chapter! Hope you like it! Please review and tell me what you think :D don't be afraid to be harsh :) **

When Annora opened her eyes she found herself looking up into the evening sky. The sun was low and starting to make its slow decent. The air was fresh and sweet. Annora felt like her head was on fire but she ignored it and sat up.

She was lying in a clearing on grass that was softer than most beds. Karigan was standing near the side of the clearing talking with Helmond. She couldn't see Ealdaen, Telagioth or King Santanara.

"Annora, are you alright?" Karigan rushed to her side, slowly followed by Helmond.

"I guess so, but my head's on fire." Annora rubbed her forehead but stopped as the pain burned harder.

"Careful," Helmond said, "we have to allow your head wound to heal on its own because it's tainted with dark magic. Eventually it will heal but on its own."

Annora nodded and winced at the pain the movement caused. "Where is everyone?"

"They are in a meeting with the Eletian council." Karigan told her.

"The only thing they've managed to agree on is to have a feast tonight in celebration of King Santanara's awakening." Helmond explained in more detail.

"What are we doing until then?" Annora asked.

"We're staying here and watching over you." Helmond answered.

"I can look after myself."

"King Santanara believes you need to be watched."

Annora felt confusion at the fact that the King would care about her enough to place guards, even if they were friends. She remembered that she did wake him up and was an elf princess, that was the reason.

"Is there somewhere I can wash and anything I can change into?" Annora asked. "Do you still need to watch me Helmond?"

The elf coughed nervously. "No, Karigan can keep an eye on you."

The two girls laughed and Karigan led Annora to somewhere she could clean up.

The feast was boring. Annora was wearing a long white dress without sleeves. It was nice unlike the scowl on the Eletian's face as she gave it to her. So far every Eletian she saw would glare at her like she was some type of disease.

Annora was seated next to Prince Jametari who promptly turned his back on her and ignored her the whole time. Ealdaen was on her left and seemed to be in the middle of a very stimulating conversation with Karigan the whole night. It wasn't that he was ignoring her but he just kind of forget she was there.

Annora sat there in silence, her eyes sliding unwillingly towards King Santanara every two minutes.

He was nothing like she'd expected. He wasn't rude, or condescending. He wasn't a king in constant battle for court superiority, he was a king that was elected through courage on the battlefield. He spoke to everyone with the grace of an Eletian but did it with the skill of a warrior.

The only annoying thing about him was that, after she'd managed to not look at him for two minutes, and she just glanced up he would look at her almost straight away. His gaze was steady and he watched her blush and look away quickly.

After every little eye contact they made Annora would mentally kick herself and stare at her plate as hard as she could.

She had just managed to keep her eyes on her plate for five minutes when her eyes drifted to King Santanara again only to find him gone. He'd left his own feast and it seemed that no one else had really noticed.

Annora sat there arguing with herself. She could see where he'd walked and where he'd gone. It was like when she was looking for what tree he was.

She wanted to follow him but she couldn't decide if he would mind or not.

Eventually she got up and followed him into the trees. No one noticed her leaving.

Annora found him next to a stream. He was resting his left hand in the cool water. He looked up when she left the tree line.

King Santanara looked back to his hand.

Annora thought about turning and going back to the feast but decided against it. She walked up to him and kneeled next to him.

The King took his hand out of the stream but didn't shake it dry. He just let the water runoff it and turned to Annora.

His blue eyes stared into her green eyes. It wasn't an awkward eye contact it was a relaxing peaceful staring. They were both trying to see into the others soul, find out who and what they really were.

"Does it hurt?"

Annora frowned for a second but realized he was talking about her head wound. The one Truman had caused her, the one that was tainted by Mornhavon.

"It hurts a little, but in two or three days there won't even be a scar." Annora smiled slightly.

King Santanara nodded and looked back at his blackened left hand.

"I can feel it, you know? I can feel his black taint moving up your arm." King Santanara looked slowly up as she spoke. "I can feel it taking over you, infecting you from the inside and smothering my magic. In barely a month you will be the perfect host for Alessandro himself."

King Santanara was shocked and stared at her. The pain in her voice and the sincereness in her eyes made him believe that she could actually feel the evil taint.

"I never told anyone. After the war I considered killing myself to stop Mornhavon from returning, but the king of Eletians cannot kill themselves. So I went for the next best thing, sleeping slows down the spread but couldn't stop it."

A single tear fell from Annora's eyes.

"May I?"

King Santanara hesitated for a moment. It hurt just to move his arm and letting her touch it could be agonizing, but in the end he reached his hand to her.

His fears were pointless because Annora's touch was so gentle. He could hardly feel her fingertips as she turned his hand over.

Annora closed her eyes and pressed on his wrist. He hissed in pain but fought to stop the cry escaping. Slowly she moved her hand down his till she reached his fingertips and then she let go of his hand.

Annora grimaced and bit her lip as darkness moved below the skin of her left arm.

King Santanara stared. He stared at his hand not believing what he saw or felt. His hand was back to normal, Mornhavon's taint was gone. King Santanara wriggled his fingers. That little movement would have caused him pain beyond comprehension.

He looked up at Annora. She was watching him closely. The wound in her head had reopened and blood dripped down the side of her face.

King Santanara moved slowly and wiped some of the blood away. Annora winced.

"Maybe it'll take longer to heal." Annora smiled but winced at the sudden pain.

Santanara couldn't help but feel bad. The wound had opened up completely and would have to reheal itself.

"Thank you, thank you so much. I thought I would live the rest of my life with this injury, and because of it my life was getting shorter and shorter. Thank you. How did you get rid of it?"

"I," Annora frowned, "I could see the taint and I just pulled it out if your arm." She said slowly.

Santanara wriggled his hand again. Such a small movement but so fun. He wriggled it again. Went to do it again but realized Annora was looking at him.

"How do you do it? How do you govern over an immortal race like the Eletian?"

Disclaimer: I only own the elves but no one else :D  
**Sorry I had to cut this chapter in half but it's way too long if I put Annora and King Santanara's whole conversation in it :) I'll update soon if and only if you guys review! :P**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11! This contains the other half of Annora and King Santanara's conversation and more :D Just a quick thank you to Aereal for her wonderful Betaring skills :) ENJOY!**

Fear shone in her green eyes. The wind blew through the clearing but she didn't seem cold. The stars looked down on them and King Santanara wondered how to begin his tale. Annora just waited like she knew her would tell her. After looking out across the water for a while he began his tale.

"You see, I was elected during the war. It was about half way through the war and King Jamitis had been slain by Hadrix el Fex. Prince Jametari was very young, he was only 12 and couldn't take up his father's position in the middle of a war."

Annora shifted to a more comfortable position against the willow tree.

"They elected me instead. I was young at the time too. I was about 22 and found myself King of the Eletians in the middle of war. I wasn't a leader. I never wanted power. The only thing I wanted was to free my people from the horror of Mornhavon. It was hard and when the war ended I thought they would push me aside and not really care about anything that happened to me. I'm not of royal blood or even that of noble blood, but they kept me as king.

"But why did they choose you, out of everyone I mean?" Annora asked.

"I'm not sure. I think I might have shown some kind of bravery on the battlefield. They were running scared, there was no one to help them and their King had just been killed. I suppose I was the only thing that held them together." King Santanara looked out over the river deep in thought.

"The war ended and I had no choice but to sleep, if I hadn't I would have destroyed my whole race. Mornhavon would have taken over me. It was unbarable waking up in the morning and feeling your worst enemy climbing closer and closer to your soul, slowly destroying you." The King shook his head slightly. "The next king won't be of my blood. Unless they decide Jametari can't do it. The trick to leading anyone is to lead them the way you would like your monarch to lead you."

"I'm scared." Annora's voice broke slightly. "I don't know what I'm meant to do or what is going to happen to me."

"You'd be a fool if you weren't." They were the wrong words.

"You don't understand. I can see him, I can feel his presence growing stronger. I feel him inside me and I can feel him inside you." Tears filled her eyes but she didn't allow them to run. She held strong. "My parents are dead. I have no one. I don't even know who I am, but he does. He knows me better than I know myself."

King Santanara pulled her into a hug.

"I used your grandmother's magic to defeat Mornhavon, and when your mother died her magic became yours. I used your life magic to kill him. He is connected to us both in a way that only we can understand. Elves are special in the way they see, feel and are made of magic. It's because of this that we can feel his presence. The Eletains can't and the Elves can feel the darkness but not see clearly." Santanara rubbed her back and spoke in soothing tones.

Sobs rocked Annora's body but tears did not fall. Santanara frowned down at her. There was something in the way that she fit so perfectly in his arms and the way red blood flowed from the wound on her head that made him realize how vulnerable she was.

She was a delicate as a rose and yet as strong as a bramble. Mornhavon would come after her and drive pain and fear into her very soul as easily as killing an annoying fly buzzing around his ear.

Annora was head strong and obstinate but she was vulnerable and in need of protection. She was the most powerful elf he'd ever met and their only hope for defeating Mornhavon indefinitely.

A plan had started to form in Santanara's head. He would have to take Mornhavon's strength and use it against him. He would use magic to kill him and the only person with strong enough magic was Annora, but even she might not succeed.

"You are not alone. I am here for you." He whispered in her ear.

They broke the hug and looked once more into each other's eyes but he kept his arms around her.

"Helmond and Drandamir are there for you. They came all this way for their monarch but you became more than that the moment they met you. Ealdaen and Telagioth will be there and Karigan will certainly be beside you every step of the way."

King Santanara brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. "You are stronger than you know, and you will find that out soon enough."

Annora nodded and hastily wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Shouldn't we get back to the feast?"

King Santanara laughed. "Right, it is meant for me."

He pulled Annora to her feet and offered her his arm. She took it and they walked back through the trees.

Everyone looked up from their plates as the two monarchs walked back into the glade. The female Eletains glared at Annora with jealousy and the males just frowned at the fact that their king was talking with an Elf. Even worse, an Elf princess.

Annora took her seat rather self-consciously and looked at her food.

King Santanara however could hardly take his eyes from her. He felt that if he didn't keep a vigilant watch over her then Mornhavon would sweep down on a cloud of darkness and she'd be gone.

He couldn't let that happen. He looked down at his hand. She had saved him, she had given him a reason to live again. She had given her own strength to take away the pain that had plagued him to the point of suicide. Not only that but she could save the world by ridding it of Mornhavon.

Annora slept like a log that night. She was so tired when she woke up it was like she hadn't slept at all. Her head was fuzz and burned with pain at the slightest movement. She woke up slightly dishevelled and had to try to fix her hair and wake up fully before she left the little cabin that she and Karigan were sharing.

Karigan was sitting around a campfire with the others, minus Ealdaen. They had been given cabins on the very edge of Eletia and no one really wanted to go back in and put up with the hostile stares of the Eletains.

Annora walked out of the cabin in a long grey dress. It was made of exquisite and expense fabric, Karigan could tell even at a distance. Karigan looked at Annora and she felt sorry for the young lady. She was barley 17 and had been told her whole life was a fake.

Karigan had spoken with Helmond the night before for a while. He had told her about the Elves and how they had been waiting for their Queen to come back. They had wanted to come and find her but the fear of Mornhavon was overpowering. In the end Drandamir, Helmond and a few others set off to find and protect their monarch.

Helmond's theory about the crumbling race of Elves was that they needed the Eletians. Annora was the only person alive who could bring harmony back to the Elves by reconnecting them with the Eletians.

"Morning, how are you feeling?" Telagioth asked Annora, smiling.

"Alright, I think." Annora shrugged and sat down to drink the kettle of tea they'd made. The Eletian tea was so good. It made her insides warm and helped clear her head and really made her feel better, but within minutes the haze settled back over her head and thoughts.

Ealdaen came in and sat on the ground, next to Karigan, with a big sigh.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"We're leaving tomorrow. We'll be on our way to Sacor city to kill Mornhavon and free the castle."

Karigan smiled. "You mean we're going to help everyone being held there?"

"Yep," Ealdaen replied gloomily. He didn't seem anywhere near as excited as Karigan was.

"How many troops are coming?" Telagioth asked.

"Well, there's King Santanara," he counted off on his fingers, "me, you, Drandamir, Helmond, Karigan and Annora." Ealdaen pretended to think hard.

"That's it? No one else is coming?" Drandamir asked looking completely shocked.

"Nup, it's too dangerous. If we haven't contacted them four days after we've left then an army will be sent to take out Mornhavon. They didn't like Santanara's plan so they'll do it their way, which is why they'll fail." Ealdaen's voice dripped with disdain.

"So it's up to us then?" Annora asked rubbing her head and took another great gulp from her tea.

"Yes, we have to take down Mornhavon by ourselves." King Santanara spoke as he strolled into their temporary campsite.

"But how can we possibly do that?" Annora took another gulp from her tea, hoping it would clear her head better but the cloudiness still hung over her.

"Well, firstly we need to get him on his own. Don't worry I'm thinking up a plan." He smiled but Annora found no consolation in his words.

"So, tomorrow we're leaving to kill a godlike man with two stone faced elves, two banished Eletian warriors and two prissy monarchs." Karigan summed up, jokingly.

"This is going to be an interesting journey." Telagioth spoke quietly. Gloom settled over the group as they realised that their mission could very easily fail and they could all die.

"Come on your majesty," Drandamir bowed mockingly to Annora smiling all the way, "it's time to get you ready for war."

Annora jumped to her feet, ignoring the pain from her head. She was determined to wipe that smile of his face.

Karigan watched in amazement as the Elves proceeded to teach their princess to fight with two foot long knives.

**Disclaimer: **The only things that don't belong to Kristine Britain are the elves :D  
**What do you think? Please let me know how I'm going? Please REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! I really appreciate anything you can say about this :P **


	12. Chapter 12

**Here comes the next chapter :D sorry for the small wait but I will try and get the next one up as soon as I can :D Thanks everyone for the REVIEWS!  
Quick shout out to my beta Aereal! Without her this story wouldn't be this great :D**

The doomed group of Eletians, elves and humans stood on the edge of Eletia. They were dressed ready for war. Karigan, Ealdaen, Telagioth and Santanara each wore swords or sabers on their hips. The Eletians had a bigger range of weapons.

Drandamir had a long sword and a short knife. Helmond had two axes and a bow. Annora had two short knives she'd been practicing with.

The Eletains were in peal armor and the Elves were in the most gorgeous armor, made out of a metal no one could name.

Karigan stared at Annora's gorgeous armor that she wore. It looked as hard as dragon scales yet she didn't seem weighed down by it. It only covered her torso leaving the rest of her able to move easily without being hindered by the weight.

Karigan however was wearing what she wore into Blackveil. Her uniform was ripped and browner than the original green. Her right trouser leg was shredded and covered in dried blood and her sleeve was covered in some gross black sticky substance.

"Karigan are you planning to go up against Mornhavon in that?" King Santanara asked her sarcastically.

"Umm, yeah I, this is all I have." Karigan told him.

Santanara smiled. "With one swipe he'll kill you easily."

Karigan looked at the ground and shrugged. She was probably the most vulnerable one of the group at the moment.

"Come with me. I have some armor you can borrow." Santanara walked off and she had no choice but to follow the King.

He led her away from the others and through a small clearing towards a stone cairn.

Karigan stopped in her tracks. "You're taking me to a tomb?"

A smile played on Santanara's face. "This is a shrine and not a tomb. You won't find a dead body in there."

He pushed one of the big rocks aside, with the help of Karigan, and they descended into the ground.

The reached a round room. It wasn't dark or damp though. Green pearlescent armor was spread out on an altar in the middle of the room. Images were painted around the walls. Images of horses flying and leaping with their riders wielding sabers.

A name was written on the wall above the head of the armor.

Lil Ambriodhe

"This was her armor?" Karigan stared wide eyed at the ancient relic.

"She wore it to battle near the end of the war. She wore it with pride and dignity. I'm sure she'd like you to have it. It was given to her because Mornhavon had a special hatred for her. She was the only person able to get me close enough to Mornhavon to kill him." Santanara told her.

"If you don't mind answering, how did she die? No matter who I ask no one can answer me." Karigan picked up part of the armor and stared at it.

"Lil didn't die in childbirth as some of the recent historians think. Her child died but she recovered. After the war ended she was broken." Santanara's voice was one full of sadness. "She couldn't continue on as part of the Green Riders. All the death and carnage and pain she'd been through had finally got to her. All the people she'd killed, all the people who'd died under her command, all the friends she'd lost. It finally got to her. She was broken." He shrugged.

"King Jonaeus was very upset when she refused to marry him, but he loved her and he could see the devastation in her eyes and let her go. She went to the Black Islands to hide and to escape. There, after years of staring at the sun, she fell in love again. She fell for a man named Henry Gray."

Karigan gasped.

"Yep, you are related to the great Lil Ambroide. Funny how her ancestor and Hadriax's ancestor were married." Santanara smiled. "Once all this is over you should find out more about your past."

"Probably." Karigan muttered.

"This armor belongs to you. Wear it with pride and we may survive this battle." Santanara left her in the shrine with her ancestor's armor.

When Karigan walked back to the group everyone stared.

She was wearing green armor just like that of the Eletians. Annora wished she could be half as confident as Karigan looked.

Karigan looked strong, confident, beautiful, smart and brave. There was a reason she was a knight.

The Eletian council had come out to wave them off. Annora despised them horribly. They were laughing and chatting while she and her new friends were trying not to freak out.

"Everyone ready?" Santanara asked the group.

They all muttered yeses and maybes and why nots.

"Well let's go." Santanara started to lead the group into the trees and towards the direction of Sacor city. It would take them a couple of days to get there and they'd have to travel hard.

"Good bye and good luck." Prince Jametari called from behind them.

Annora couldn't help it. She turned on her heels and addressed the Eletians.

"The least you could do is sound sincere as you wave us off to our death. You are all happy to see us go and I understand that, but the fact is that you're acting like children playing imaginary games, and not Eletian children, human children. You're mean to be immortal. You are meant to be brave warriors who fight for what is right and help defeat evil, but instead you hide behind others. Hoping that they succeed. Part of me wants us to fail so you guys have to save yourselves, but because you _will_ fail and doom the world, we need to succeed."

"I'm not going to pretend that I know everything about the war between our two people but I understand why we fought you like we did. It's because you're cowards. You exile the people with real ideas and you're all about personal gain. Like court intrigue." Annora glared at them. "I know that not all Eletians are like you but because you're the ones in power they get repressed."

"I suggest you change your strategy Jametari because when King Santanara gets back you will never win the people over."

Annora took a deep breath and smiled sweetly at him. Prince Jametari couldn't help but think she looked gorgeous.

"Goodbye and good luck." She blew him a kiss and then turned and they walked off.

The Prince and his court stared at the retreating back of the Elf Princess.

"I don't know about you guys, but I reckon she's right. What's your new plan Jametari?" One joked. "You going to try and pick yourself out of the tomb you and your son dug? Don't worry Grea will defend you. Oh wait, you sent her to her death." The Eletians glared at the Prince and walked back into Eletia, all planning their speeches of apology to the King and Elvish Princess.

"What?" Annora asked King Santanara. He had been watching her closely ever since she'd yelled at the Eletians.

Santanara just smiled.

"They were being stupid and needed someone to tell them." Annora shrugged.

"Personally I don't have the bravery to do something like that." He smiled.

Annora decided that she liked his smile. It was a sweet, happy one. It was one which said he was happy to be alive.

Annora smiled back at him.

The group walked in silence in the direction of the castle. It would take a human days to walk from Eletia to Sacor city but they had less time.

**Disclaimer: **The only characters I own are the Elves :D

**Hope you enjoyed it! Please REVIEW and tell me how it's going!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Here is chapter 13! Hope you love it and know that it's only this great because of my beta Aereal! :D ENJOY and REVIEW!**

They had walked all day without a single break. Annora's feet burned and her legs felt like lead. She didn't think she could take another step.

They all collapsed onto the ground, all too exhausted to move or get up again.

"Come on everyone. We can't rest yet." Helmond called and pulled himself onto his feet. "If we sit for too long we won't be able to make camp, and I'm starving."

Annora groaned but stood following his lead. It was true that if they sat down for any period of time then they wouldn't get up again.

Everyone went about their business to set up camp for the night. When they sat down again there was a campfire, a meal cooking and sleeping bags set out for everyone.

No one spoke for a while as they lounged around the fire and ate their meal.

"I think I'm going to fall asleep." Drandamir groaned.

"Someone needs to keep watch." Karigan told them.

"I'll do it." Annora announced. "Me and my step brothers," Annora giggled mischievously, "we used to camp in our dad's prize winning wheat paddocks and someone would have to keep watch in case he was coming."

"Why?" Ealdaen asked.

"Dad used to beat us for any particular reason and if we were caught there he'd do something really horrible." Annora said sadly but quickly smiled again.

"You sure you want to keep watch?" Santanara asked.

"Yeah I'll be fine. I'll wake you at 2." Annora smiled at the group and they settled down to sleep.

She leaned against a tree and prepared herself to keep watch over her friends.

King Santanara slept soundly that night. He yawned and slowly woke up, stretching his sore muscles. The sun was shining on him and the birds were singing. It was a wonderful way to wake up in the morning.

Wait, he was meant to be woken up to keep watch. Santanara jumped to his feet and looked at Annora.

She was lying asleep under a tree. From his spot he looked peaceful but she had fallen asleep on watch and that was against the law.

"Annora," he called to her. She didn't stir. "Annora."

He started walking towards her. "Annora?"

The others were starting to wake.

The Eletian King started to worry and hurried to her side.

"Annora!" Quickly he checked her pulse but she was alive and breathing properly.

"Annora! ANNORA!" He shook her but she didn't wake.

"What's wrong?" Kargian came to kneel on Annora's other side.

"I can't wake her."

"What?" Ealdaen and the others jumped to their feet.

Drandamir suddenly looked at her and hissed, his eyes narrowed. "She's surrounded by a black cloud from Mornhavon. As an Elf I can see the magic taint with my eyes."

"What do you mean?" Santanara demanded.

"Mornhavon would have used his magic to force her to fall asleep. Basically he is forcing her to dream whatever he wants to. She will wake up when Mornhavon lets her go but who knows what horrors he's showing her." Helmond explained. The two elves stood back from Annora.

Karigan's features clouded over in horror. "When Mornhavon first came back he showed me the most horrifying things. My dad being eaten by sharks, King Zachary being killed by his black weapons, all my friends being killed and tortured while calling out to me and being able to help them."

Ealdaen's arm immediately wrapped around her shoulders to comfort her.

"What are we going to do?" Santanara worriedly asked, wondering what horrors the Elvish princess was being forced to behold.

"If I was as strong as she then I could pull his magic put of her but I've never heard of someone as powerful as her." Drandamir walked forward and felt her forehead. "We need water and fire. We must keep her chest warm but her head cool. Magic is a strange and dangerous thing."

The group hurried off to get the things Drandamir told them. All silently agreeing with his statement.

_Four hours earlier_

Annora was staring at the forest around her trying to sort out all the thoughts running around her head. Suddenly she yawned feeling exhausted. Alarm flashed in her mind as she saw a dark tendril reaching through the forest towards her. All she could do was gasp and stare, and then there was nothing.

Annora opened her eyes and found herself surrounded by white. Everything around her was completely white. Pure whiteness, pure clean, and completely blank.

Suddenly a strong wind blew around her and she was lifted to her feet. Terror filled her and she tried to run away from the wind.

The wind slowed and she stopped running.

In the distance she saw a blurred spot and hurried towards it.

A city materialized around her as she walked. Everything was black and white without a single bit of colour. The city was clean and gorgeous, unlike any town she'd seen before. Everything was made of pearl stone. Waterfalls cascaded between tall buildings with high towers that glittered in the sunlight. There flowers and plants everywhere that smelt beautiful but the colours were nowhere to be seen. This place was paradise.

She heard a child laughing.

Annora followed the sound to the middle of the city and into a square. A fountain trickled in the middle of the square and a little girl was playing in it. The girl was in colour. She had blonde hair and pointy ears sticking out of it. She was wearing an emerald dress that was covered in water drops.

"Amelia, you got your dress wet again." A woman walked into the square. She too was in colour. Her hair was blonde too and she had pointy ears as well.

"Excuse me?" Annora called out.

The two didn't hear her or see her.

She frowned in confusion. Where was she?

"Mummy mummy, did you hear that? Horses." The child jumped up and down in excitement.

"You know what that means." The woman was smiling happily.

"Daddy's back!" The child called in excitement.

"Come on dear." The woman grabbed her daughter's hand and they started out of the square.

Screams echoed around the square and elves appeared running and screaming through the square. Panic was clear on everyone's face.

The soldiers ran in screaming terrifying battle cries and cutting down anything in their path.

The mother held her daughter close and stood to the side of the square as the soldiers approached.

Annora cried out in horror as soldiers brutally cut down anything in their way, not even hesitating as they killing the mother and daughter.

She screamed along with the panicked crowd and ran for her life. She attempted to breathe deeply and slow her rapid heart beat.

The people around her disappeared and she was suddenly alone again. She was shaking with fear and could hardly stand properly.

Suddenly to her left a table appeared. Two people were sitting around it playing Intrigue. There was a brown haired, almond eyed man, and an Eletian that looked a lot like Prince Jamitari.

"Funny, isn't it, how involved they are in a simple game?" Annora felt his breath of the back of her neck. His voice was as dark as his soul.

She flinched away from him and turned to Mornhavon.

**Disclaimer: **I own all elves and Annora's family :)

**What'd you think? Left a bit of a cliffhanger! OOOOOHHHHH :)  
:OOOOOOOOOOO**


	14. Chapter 14

**Here comes the next chapter! Sorry if I left you waiting :D **

Annora turned to Mornhavon. He was smiling. His smile made her want to run, it made her want to scream, it made her want to cry, all at once. It was terrifying and she hated it.

"This is a scene from Karigan's past. Amilton, King Zachary's older brother. He represents the failure of men. Then there's Shawdell the Eletian. He's the failure of the Elts."

Annora had heard of these people but had never seen them before. She didn't understand why he was telling her this.

"But this scene also represents something else. It represents Karigan's failure. Karigan's loss, her pain and her stupidity." Mornhavon smiled.

"What do you mean?" Annora demanded.

"The ending of this scene would have been different if she hadn't fallen in love with her monarch." Mornhavon smiled.

"I don't want to hear this." Annora shook her head.

"The monarch that loved her back then betrayed her, and then there was Alton D'Yer and his betrayal. Karigan will never be loved by another man. She will forever be alone and she knows it."

"You're wrong." Annora yelled at him and jumped to her friend's defense.

Mornhavon chuckled and the table and traitors disappeared, only to be replaced by a dense forest and a beautiful Eletian woman.

She had blonde hair and pale blue eyes like Shawdell's and Prince Jametari's. She wore pearl armor and stood there unseeing.

"Telagioth, such a troubled Eletian. In love with the sister of Prince Jametari. Unable to tell Grea and yet had to follow her into the place she was destined to die." Slowly, an arrow made it's decent towards the Eletian. "He was unable to help her and he had to watch her die."

The arrow sped up and slammed into the woman.

The image disappeared and they were surrounded by whiteness again.

"And now for Ealdaen. Running away from his home and from Laurelyn." Mornhavon shook his head sadly.

"Why are you doing this?" Annora demanded. She tried not to show it but with every secret he told her the more pain she felt. The pain she felt for her friends, for their pasts.

"To reveal what idiots you're traveling with." Mornhavon didn't even bat an eye, but around them a forest appeared again.

A beautiful elf woman was standing in the middle of a battle. She was surrounded by ground mites.

Again she seemed frozen, an enemy sword on its way towards her. She would be unable to deflect it.

"Drandamir and Helmond, deserting Queen Renell in the middle of battle."

Annora didn't want to believe it. The two elves appeared their backs turned and they were running away from Annora's mother.

"HELP!" Renell screamed before the sword struck her and the image vanished.

Annora was shaking. She looked up at Mornhavon, her face a mask of terror.

"I could go into Santanara's story but that would take too long. All that's left is you. You and your family." He took a step forward and Annora jumped back.

"Edmond didn't know who you were when he bought you but he paid for it in the end. It's a shame that I lost a good officer because of your drunk father. "

"You, you killed him?" Annora gasped in shock. She hated Edmond but he didn't deserve death, did he?

"Of course he had to set an example for the others." Mornhavon spoke as if it was obvious.

Slowly a room formed around them. It was small, well furnished and cozy. Everything was made of expensive wood.

"No, no please." Annora fell to her knees. She was begging him. Begging him not to show her what became of her home.

Mornhavon smiled and faded out.

Four others appeared.

A strong man with ragged hair and beard, who stank of liquor and had a cigar in his mouth, was there. A gorgeous woman with long brown hair stood next to and sort of behind the ragged man.

Truman and Greg were standing on the other side of the lounge room.

"Where is she?" Greg demanded.

"We haven't seen her. Don't think you're going to get your money back. You bought her fare and square. It's not our fault she ran away." Annora's father growled.

"You, wench, where is she? Where's Annora?" Truman demanded loudly.

Annora's mother laughed. "You'll never find her. I can't believe she escaped from you."

"What do you know Amara?" The man turned on his wife and she shrunk away from him.

"Nothing, I don't know anything." Amara muttered.

"You swine!" The man raised his hand and slapped her across the face. She fell to the ground and he grabbed her arm. "Bitch! Tell them before you bring hell upon this house." He slapped her again.

He raised his arm and she jumped on him. She held his hand away from her and tried to stab him with a knife she'd pulled from somewhere. He struggled to keep the blade from him.

She fell to the ground, a crossbow bolt sticking out of her side.

Truman walked forward as Greg put away his crossbow.

Truman placed a foot of the end of the bolt and pushed it deeper into the woman. She called out in pain.

"Where is she?" Truman's voice was low and threatening.

"Go to hell. Death to Mornhavon!" Amara sneered, a knife flashed and she took her last breath.

"That was my wife." The man grumbled. Not as if he was sad the person he loved was just murdered. It was like an annoying situation they had put him in.

"You are a horrible man." Greg told him. Truman was smiling and the two advanced on him.

Fire licked the walls and roof. Screams of someone being burned alive echoed through the night.

Truman and Greg laughed as they left the burning house.

Mornhavon turned to Annora. Tears were rolling down her face but she didn't make any sounds. He respected that. He was glad that she tried to stay strong.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked again. "Why aren't you just hitting me?"

"Because this is a dream. Your dream to be precise. I can't hurt you physically." Mornhavon smiled.

"My dream? I can control it?" Annora sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

Mornhavon just smiled.

A small frown formed on her face. It was rather cute in Mornhavon's opinion.

He felt the parameters of the dream change. Without hesitating he turned, his sword clashed into the sword of the attacking black weapon. But it was a sloppy, pathetic attempt to stop him and the black shield dissipated.

"A sad attempt." Mornhavon told her.

Annora frowned again.

This time Kyden appeared.

Mornhavon and Kyden exchanged a few blows but Mornhavon sliced through Kyden easily.

Annora cried out as if she'd been the one hit.

"That was better but," a sword swung from behind him. King Santanara appeared but shattered into oblivion as the sword hit him.

Mornhavon's face contorted in anger.

"YOU DON'T KNOW SANTANARA!" He screamed in outrage. He punched Annora across the face and she fell to the ground.

"You and your whole family are nothing but a nuisance." With his words Annora's mother, Amara, appeared. She screamed to Annora for help as she burned like she was in the house fire.

"She was already dead when they set the hose on fire." Annora gasped, trying to stay strong and not let the tears fall as she watch the woman who raised her, be tortured. It didn't matter that it wasn't real, that she wasn't really there. It still cut her deeply.

"I'm going to make everyone you've ever cared for suffer." Mornhavon threatened as he walked towards her.

Annora shuffled away from him and cowered in a corner that had appeared.

"YOUR WHOLE RACE WILL SUFFER!" He screamed in outrage. "And YOU, you will feel the most pain." He whispered leaning right into her face. His cold cruel breath curling across her skin making the hairs on her neck stand on end.

**How did you think I went? Did I capture the fear and stuff properly? I'd appreciate any insight :/ you have to say :D **


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 is here! The wait is over :) sit back and enjoy :P **

Everyone ran to Annora's side when she called out. A single tear ran down the side of her face but she was still unresponsive.

"What's happening?" King Santanara demanded.

"She's beginning to wake up." Drandamir told him.

Without warning Annora opened her eyes and crawled backwards. Terror etched into her face. She paused, shuddered and fell into Santanara's arms.

She shuddered and gasped for air as she cried deeply, into his armor.

Santanara wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Her body shook from the force of her sobs.

She cried and cried.

Santanara had been angry before. He remembered when Mornhavon had first came and demanded all sorts of repulsive things, he remembered when he saw his best mate dissected, his organs had been pulled out and put all around the room, and he remembered the day his arm was unable to heal properly. But nothing had made him angrier than Mornhavon's latest act.

Annora had been happy, strong and laughing the last night and now she looked broken. She felt so delicate and fragile in his embrace. He hated Mornhavon. He hated his guts.

He had broken this strong, beautiful woman and hadn't even thought twice about it.

Suddenly Annora pushed herself away from him, she stumbled towards Karigan and pulled her into a hug.

"Karigan, no mortal man deserves you but that doesn't mean you'll be alone. The King is a fool if he didn't just marry you sooner. But it's his loss not yours." Annora whispered in her friend's ear.

Karigan was so shocked that she couldn't answer but Annora had already moved on to Telagioth.

"You couldn't have done anything. It wasn't your fault it was theirs." Annora told him as she hugged him. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek then hugged Ealdaen.

"You did the best you could. If you did anything more then we wouldn't be here today and I would have died long ago." She then pulled Drandamir and Helmond into a hug.

"People aren't born brave. Bravery comes only once someone has faced their biggest fears." She told them then stood up to face the whole group.

Everyone stared up at her, not believing that she knew their secrets or that she could bounce back so quickly. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her checks were tear stained.

"Mornhavon is a monster. He deserves nothing more than to die. He thinks we'll just lie down and give up but we're not going to. We're going to show him who we are and why we still go on. We have to succeed for everyone alive. We have to." Annora took a deep breath and started packing up the camp like a one man army.

Everyone got up after that and they continued walking, all watching her closely in case she fainted.

Somehow they had formed a walking formation with Annora at the middle. King Santanara at the front next to Telagioth. Drandamir and Helmond on either side and Karigan and Ealdaen behind.

Annora smiled at the thought of her companions. They were amazing, all of them. They had been through so much and continued going.

Karigan had not only fallen in love with her monarch but she had been in and out of Blackveil, like Ealdaen and Telagioth.

Drandamir and Helmond had deserted Queen Renell but had come through the dangers of Blackveil just to save her. Then there was Santanara.

He was strong, handsome and young, but she knew almost nothing about him. But she knew what was in his heart, was that enough? Besides it's not like he'd ever think of her that way. But she felt so safe and happy in his arms...

Annora froze.

How could she be thinking of him that way? He was immortal and almost 90 years older than her. But she was immortal too.

She shook her head. It didn't matter that he was handsome with gorgeous blue eyes or that he was strong and tall, she couldn't think these ways because they could all be dead by tomorrow night.

*•*

"How are you feeling?" Santanara asked her gently that night. They were all settling down to sleep with Karigan on watch.

"Umm, I'm tired. You'd think that sleeping all night last night would help me but I'm still exhausted." Annora half smiled at him.

"I'm nervous." She admitted when he raised an unbelieving eyebrow.

"It's natural to be nervous. It won't be too bad." Annora laughed at his words and the look on his face. It was obvious that even he didn't believe it.

"You'll be fine. At least your head has healed." Santanara ran a finger gently across the fading scar on Annora's forehead. He quickly took his hand away and busied himself with setting up his bed.

"I don't care about what happens to me I'm, I'm worried about everyone else. I'm afraid I'll fail them." Annora whispered.

Santanara paused his fiddling and he smiled at her.

Annora felt her heart beat race and she mentally kicked herself.

He reached over and took one of her hands in his. "You'll be perfect."

They sat there looking into the other's eyes for a bit too long.

They realized what they were doing at the same time, jumped to their feet muttered goodbyes and went to sleep.

"Sleep well." Ealdaen said to Karigan as he took over her shift.

"I will," she hesitated, "do you think we can do it? Do you think we have a chance, or are we all going to die?"

"I think we have a reasonable chance of succeeding. But you never know. Mornhavon is very powerful and he has an army." Ealdaen said slowly.

Karigan walked back and sat down next to him.

"And what happens if we fail? Will we all be killed, dissected, tortured?"

"Santanara and Annora will be kept alive longer than me and Telagioth. I believe he'll dissect Drandamir and Helmond though." He replied sadly.

"And what about me?"

The Eletian shrugged.

Karigan looked at him with unrelenting eyes.

"We," Ealdaen frowned at her. Why, on the eve of battle did she want to think of such things? "There's a reason he kept you alive after Blackveil. We think he plans to marry you." He said reluctantly.

"I mean you are descendent of Hadriax and Lil Ambroide." He trailed off.

"I'll never be his queen." Karigan shuddered at the thought.

"Mornhavon wouldn't care what you think."

Karigan's head spun towards him. Fear and anger present in her eyes.

Ealdaen looked deeply into her gorgeous blue eyes. Mornhavon would destroy the happy glint that was always present.

"But I won't let him have you." Ealdaen whispered and pulled her into a hug.

"We won't let ourselves be captured alive. None of us." Karigan whispered.

**What do you think? The eve of battle!? :D :D :D :D :D**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16! Prepare for intense scenes (not really) **

King Zachary looked down at the gate from his study window. The invading army had completely ignored the town and walked up to the gate. They didn't try to get in or anything. They simply set up camp. A soldier would occasionally yell taunts or insults up at them.

Zachary stared sadly as Mornhavon himself walked through the camp.

"I don't think we're going to get out of this too easily." He spoke sadly.

"There's always a way."

Zachary grabbed his wife's hand and pulled her closer to him. She smiled sadly and wrapped her arms around him.

"We might not find it in time." Zachary told her. When they were first married he had been so shocked and angry that he was on his deathbed when it happened. But after being married for two weeks he found himself loving her strength and ideas.

Estora, his Queen, wasn't just a pretty face, but she was also smart and strong in the way of court intrigues way. It took him only a few days to realize that he loved her.

"What do you reckon they'll do when we can't hold out any longer?" Estora asked as she looked over the army.

"Probably kill us, but I won't let that happen to you. You'll have to go out the King's avenue."

"No, no, no." Estora immediately refused.

"You'll go out. Once all this has settled down." Zachary took a deep breath and placed a hand on his wife's belly. "You and our child can come back and free Sacoridia."

"I'm not leaving without you." Estora grabbed hold of his hands.

"You'll have to." Zachary lent down to kiss her but the door was thrown open.

"Your majesties." Fastion bowed low. "It's a white flag. Mornhavon is coming to negotiate."

Mornhavon was left waiting. Zachary had made sure of that.

A table was set up in the entrance hall. Laren, Fastion and Bernard were the only ones to come in with the King.

Zachary walked in and sat right down opposite the monster.

He'd brought two men with him. Truman and Greg were their names but Zachary hardly looked at them.

They sat there looking at each other for a while. Zachary trying to figure out why he was here and Mornhavon was smirking.

"So, King Zachary, I feel like I already know you." Mornhavon's grin widened.

"What makes you say that?" Laren could tell that Zachary held his King's mask firmly in place.

"I've been inside Karigan and Annora's heads many times."

Zachary wanted to punch that stupid grin off his face but then he would probably be killed.

"What is it you came to discuss?" Zachary demanded.

"Have you noticed that we haven't attacked your people yet? We have no problem with you or your people."

Zachary looked questionably to Laren and she nodded with a surprise on her face.

"I came here to give you a way of getting out of here with most of your people alive."

"Most?" Zachary asked immediately.

"Everyone except the obvious exceptions." When Zachary didn't answer he continued. "There are two farm boys that I'd like and also I want him." Mornhavon pointed at Bernard. "I also wouldn't mind Stevic G'ladheon."

"What do you want with these people?" Zachary growled.

"Just for fun." Mornhavon smiled at their horrified expressions.

"People aren't toys for you to," Bernard stood up in anger.

Mornhavon pointed a finger at him and the weapon fell to the ground. Zachary jumped to his feet.

"Relax, he's just asleep." Mornhavon yawned at their distress. "Sit down."

After everyone was seated he spoke again.

"I never liked him. Now, our goal is a very simple one. It's to find the source of magic and to use it. Eletians use up too much magic so we'll get rid of them most likely." Mornhavon's smile left as he spoke of serious things.

"You want me to help you annihilate a whole race?" Zachary asked completely disgusted.

"Exactly." Mornhavon's smile froze and a shadow seemed to pass over his face. "I'll leave you to think about it."

Mornhavon stood stiffly and walked out, followed by Greg and Truman.

"He's planning to destroy a whole race?" Laren asked.

"Apparently. What do you think the source of magic is? And why does he want Bernard, and Stevic and the two farm boys?" Zachary asked.

"He's obviously planning something with Karigan, hence Stevic, and Bernard is Annora's father and I know she has two step brothers." Fastion spoke from the shadows.

"What does Annora have to do with this?" Zachary said frustrated. "Bernard met an injured woman and fell in love with her. They had a child but Bernard left before he knew what else happened."

The group looked down at the sleeping weapon. "Donald, come and take Bernard to the medical wing." Zachary called out.

"We can't join Mornhavon's mission." Laren said.

"You're right. ARGH!" Zachary yelled in frustration. He pushed the table over angrily, fell into a chair and held his head in his hands. "What are we going to do?"

He cried out, tears of frustration in his eyes. Sadly no one had an answer.

**Okay the next chapter will be the fight scene but I felt like I needed to write about what was going on at the castle :D Good luck! **


	17. Chapter 17

**Here comes the second last chapter The Battle Scene! Sit back enjoy and be prepared for excitement :D Just want to thank Owlkin for all her help on this chapter because it wouldn't be this good if it wasn't for her :D Now onto the fighting!**

"This is it." Annora spoke slowly and took a deep breath. "This is our only chance to stop Mornhavon and his rule of terror."

The group of three elves, three Eletians and one human stood just within the tree line of the Green Cloak forest that grew near to the Sacor Castle.

"Just remember to move quickly. Never stay in the same place for too long. Keep moving." King Santanara told them quickly.

They all took deep breaths to steel themselves and were about to walk into what could be their last battle.

"Karigan," Ealdaen quickly turned to her and grabbed her shoulders, desperation plain on his face.

"Yes?" She asked looking up into his deep grey eyes.

"After all this," Ealdaen opened and closed his mouth for a while before hurriedly continuing, "we need to talk."

Karigan looked slightly deflated, her lip curling in a frown. "I'm sick of talking." She muttered, her eyes drifting to the ground unhappily.

Annora stood biting her lip, wondering what would happen. Her friend deserved to find love. She and Ealdaen deserved each other. They both deserved something good in their hard lives.

Ealdaen took a deep breath and pulled Karigan into a kiss. It only lasted a few brief seconds, but it was enough to make everyone smile despite their serious situation.

When the kiss ended Karigan looked completely shocked. Her eyes stayed closed for a few seconds before she smiled.

"We'll have that talk later." She smiled happily.

"Anyway," Santanara brought the conversation back to the present, "Annora, remember to breathe deeply, do not let your heart beat fast. The faster your heart beats the quicker your blood flows."

Annora nodded. "Let's go."

They each took a deep breath and walked out of the bush and into the massive wide plains before the walls of the castle and its gate.

Mornahvon's army stood tall and mighty before the small group. It had been split into two groups standing in lines on either side of an invisible path. The soldiers were smiling and whispering, a few called out insults towards Annora and King Santanara as the small group of seven approached Mornhavon.

The group of Eletians, Elves and Men walked side by side. They focused on the dark lord without looking away. None of them gave the slightest indication that they heard the words the army called out. They walked with their heads held high and with as much dignity as they could.

Annora felt anger beyond comprehension as she saw Mornhavon. She felt her companions' bristle with fury and could hear their deep breaths as they tried to keep control over their anger.

Mornhavon was standing in the middle of the path. He was smiling, patiently waiting for them. Annora felt bile rise in her throat as she realized what he was wearing. He was clad head to toe in black Eletian armor that shifted and darkened and rose in spikes with his breathing. The only way he'd have learned to make such armor would have been from studying a dead Eletian's armor or he was told by a traitor.

The group came to a halt in front of him.

"Alessandros Mornhavon you have this one chance to surrender. If you do then your death will be quick and painless and your people will be given a fair trial." Santanara spoke boldly and with a commanding voice that would easily carry across battlefields.

Mornhavon's army laughed mockingly, their voices echoing around the town a hundred meters away.

"And who would kill me. Perhaps you, Annora?" Mornhavon smiled.

Annora felt herself weaken, felt her breathing quicken and her heart beat faster in fear. She wanted nothing more than to run away from him, to get away from this place, to get as far as possible from his black taint.

_I'm right beside you. Hold on. _

Annora felt Santanara's comforting presence beside her. She felt the magic in him, that they shared, pulse strongly and her magic fluttered in response.

Confidence flowed into her and she took a deep comforting breath.

"Mornhavon, give up now." Annora told him.

He laughed. "I might keep you alive for a while my dear, just for some amusement." Mornhavon unsheathed his broadsword, the steel flashing in the sun and he faced them, an amused smile playing on his face.

The seven attacked simultaneously, each unsheathing their blades instantly. Mornhavon ducked under Santanara's first strike with unnatural speed, a sinister chuckle hissing from between his teeth.

Darkness sprung from him and surged towards Santanara. The shadows latched onto Santanara's armor. Writhing and twisting it slipped through the armor's cracks. He jumped back and tried to rip the magic from him. He ripped his breast plate off and started screaming as the darkness ripped into his skin. His voice rose in pitch as he sunk to the ground.

Mornhavon kicked out at Ealdaen. As his foot swung through the air a spike grew on the end, Ealdaen dropped to the ground and Mornhavon's foot met empty air. Ealdaen danced around Mornhavon, dodging the strikes to lunge forward around Mornhavon's massive form, but he underestimated the dark lord's agility. Mornhavon caught the Eletian's sword arm in a viselike grip, punching him across the face. As Mornhavon's fist descended another spike grew on his gauntlet.

Ealdaen staggered away from the blow, blood streaming from his nose and mouth as he hit the cobblestone, his daggers clattering to the ground.

Telagioth growled and attacked Mornhavon from behind but by now a soldier from Mornhavon's army stepped up. He grabbed the Eletian from behind, kneed the warrior in the back and pushed him back into the waiting arms of Mornhavon. The dark lord laughed and black goop oozed from Mornhavon's mouth and dripped onto Telagioth's face.

Telagioth screamed and collapsed to the ground. The smell of melting flesh filled the air.

Mornhavon raised his hands as the soldiers around them cheered for their leader. They were standing back now calling out and jeering as they observed their 'god' overpower the small group.

Drandamir and Helmond cried a battle howl and attacked. They wove their assault under and around him, like a spider weaving its web, never staying in one position for more than a few moments. Drandamir leapt high into the air to gain his attention, twisting and tucking his body over Mornhavon's head as Helmond would lunge forward to sweep a dagger between his armor, spinning away when the dark lord hissed and turned his enraged gaze to the blood seeping from the small cuts made upon his body. His hand shot out and sent a tendril of darkness chasing after Helmond.

Mornhavon finally caught Drandamir upon his descent, yanking him roughly down to the ground. Stunned, Drandamir was pulled up again to be kneed in the stomach, over and over, until Mornhavon finished with a knee aimed at his head. Drandamir collapsed onto the ground, unconscious and battered.

With a desperate intent, Helmond sliced across Mornhavon's back, severing several chinks and causing the armor to disintegrate. Helmond's face lit up with joy, until the back plate detached from the main armor, dissolving into a sinister shadow to wrap around Helmond's face and neck. With a muffled scream, he dropped his blade and clutched at his face, small rivulets of blood running down his chin and neck.

Karigan growled and jumped on his back. Mornhavon tossed her to the ground growling at the back of his throat. He stared down at her, kicked her saber away from her, smiled savagely and started working his magic.

All this happened within minutes and his army was standing back, their weapons still sheathed, they were enjoying watching their leader's power. They all took a step back as he unleashed his magic.

It grew in great clouds billowing behind him, as black and as foreboding as an incoming coastal storm. It raged higher and higher into the air. The sound was deafening as it grew in intensity. It was like the buzzing of a million bees. The air crackled with electricity as the cloud grew and grew.

A feminine voice shouted, "Stop!"

Mornhavon turned around and looked at Annora standing there. Her broken and battered comrades around her fueling her rage and making her completely different to the girl he'd met before.

Her hair whipped around her in an unholy cyclone, her cloak billowing around her lithe form. Her right arm was extended towards him and her eyes were closed as she faced him without fear.

At first he smiled in bemusement, until he felt her power collide against his in a violent maelstrom. He fought for dominance against her pure waves of energy, as the black mass weakened, becoming grey then white as his grasp loosened. Panicking, he fought harder to gain control over his magic, but his fortitude was weakening considerably. In slight horror, he watched as his magic spread out over his army, who could only regard the white fog with abject fear and terror, for they could not hope to outrun it.

Suddenly his whole army collapsed on itself. Wind whipped around them and like a breath being expelled they fell one by one. Within a second Mornhavon's army had been rendered completely defenseless.

He growled in anger. Pure uncontrollable madness raged through his bones and all through his blood stream and he turned his gaze to the being responsible.

Annora hesitated before opening her eyes. Happiness etched into her face as she looked over the sleeping army. It was during this distraction that Mornhavon pounced.

Screaming in rage his hands clasped around her throat, squeezing hard enough to break her neck he pushed her to the ground. Annora desperately scratched at his hands but to no avail. Nothing entered his mind but the thought of killing her, nothing mattered but the sense of justice he would feel once he had squeezed every pathetic bit of life from her body.

Annora couldn't breathe. She could barely put a single thought together.

Just as her vision started to darken, Mornhavon was pulled off her. Santanara threw him to the ground with all his might. Santanara knelt on the ground next to him, raised his dagger high and brought it down over and over again in pure desperation to kill this monster. Class and morality didn't matter, he had to just destroy this being.

Blood spluttered his pearl armor, face and the surrounding ground. Finally he stopped. He stared at the bloody form of Mornhavon. Wind blew across the grassy plain and the body disintegrated into ash that drifted away in the wind.

Santanara stumbled to his knees and looked around at his friends. Their faces mirrored how he felt. Expressions of happiness, pain, exhaustion and relief.

Annora was the first to notice Ealdaen's body. He alone had lain where he had fallen, when Mornhavon had knocked him down. She ran to his side, kneeling beside his bruised body to feel for a pulse.

Ealdaen sat up abruptly, with madness in his eyes, and grabbed her by the throat.

"Die, you meddling bitch," He screamed, and squeezed his fingers.

Annora felt the pressure build up in her mind. Her arm moved to his face with determination.

Santanara ran towards them. He was terrified he wouldn't make it. He was terrified he wouldn't be able to stop Annora before she took on more than she could handle.

Ealdaen blinked as if awakening from a dream. In horror, he loosened his fingers and dropped his arms.

Annora keeled over, her body toppling sideways as her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

"Annora, ANNORA!" Ealdaen called urgently as he realized what he'd done.

Her veins turned black and stood out bold against her suddenly pale skin. Her red lips changed to black. She had pulled Mornhavon's spirit out of Ealdaen and into herself, thinking her magic would be strong enough to destroy him but she was wrong. So very wrong.

"She needs elf medicine." Santanara looked towards Drandamir and Helmond.

Drandamir feebly crawled across the ground to where they lay, struggling to keep himself awake as he regarded her still form with worry. Helmond shook his head sadly. "I cannot do anything for her," he stated, horror at his own incompetence written on his face.

Santanara turned her over gently with Drandamir's help and took her pulse. It was beating erratically. He felt an icy tendril creep up his spine. If she didn't get help soon, and if the strain on her magic wasn't lessened, then she would most certainly die.

"There are others, in Blackveil, who could help her. One of us can take her!"

"Go through the Tower of Heaven, for it is quicker than traversing over the side." Santanara told him, briskly nodding his head in agreement.

"Alton would never allow it." Karigan told them. "I'll be right back."

She turned and ran.

Karigan was overly aware that she was running towards the castle in green Eletian armor after missing for six months. She could only imagine their shocked expressions and suspicious demeanors.

The king's, Green Riders, Army and Weapons had all come out of the castle, prepared to help in the fight. They had stopped and stared in confusion, as they had seen the small band take the situation in hand without assistance.

"Your Majesty!" Karigan tugged at her liege's arm urgently, grabbing the Green Rider banner and tearing the fabric in two.

"You need to give Helmond permission to enter Blackveil." When he didn't respond and merely looked at her in a slight daze, she shook his arm. "ZACHARY! NOW!"

In a kind of trance he wrote on the banner and signed it before handing Karigan his signet ring.

Karigan didn't even stop to read what he'd written or to thank him. She just turned and ran faster than she ever had back down the hill.

Helmond was sitting astride a gorgeous grey stallion. Annora was hunched over the horse's neck, the black veins sticking out horribly on her sickly skin.

"Here, ride hard and ride fast." Karigan panted and handed the banner up to him.

"I will." He stared ahead for a second before grasping Annora firmly around the waist and taking off into the trees.

Santanara stood to the side watching the pair ride off. He could feel her magic seeping away ever so slowly and his magic getting stronger. It made him sick to his stomach.

"She'll make it, I'm sure." Karigan said to him quietly, but she could say no more for nothing more could be done at that point.

"Um, excuse me." A voice from behind him startled them all.

King Zachary stood behind them with Queen Estora and Captain Mapstone.

"Your majesty," Santanara nodded his head slightly. He took a deep breath and raised his king mask, ready to face the next conversations like the King he should be and not the worried wreck he was inside. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am King Santanara of the Elt. We have much to discuss."

**Disclaimer: **I own only the elves nothing else other than the story line!  
**Whew *wipes brow dramatically* Chapter 17, the second last chapter, the battle scene is finished! And I left it on a cliff hanger :D hope you like the fight scene please review and tell me how I did :P **


	18. Chapter 18

**Here comes the last chapter! Sorry about the cliff hanger :D nah I actually loved the cliff hanger :) Hope you enjoy…. This is more of an epilogue :D **

"So what is Annora? Is she a farm girl, a slave, a black arrow, or an Elf princess?" Zachary asked. They were in his study. Ben was healing the heroes the best he could without passing out. Laren, Bernard and Estora were all there.

They had just heard the long confusing tale of Annora and the elves.

Zachary kept looking at Karigan. She had been missing for six months, presumed dead, but she came back to defeat Mornhavon with the King of the Eletians and the future Queen of the Elves. Karigan had managed to shock them all over again.

She was sitting next to Ealdaen and it was obvious that there was something between them. The way they smiled at each other and occasionally Ealdaen would rub her shoulder in comfort.

Then there was King Santanara. Zachary couldn't believe he was talking to King Santanara. He was legend, literally. He was very different to what Zachary thought he'd be.

And lastly there was the elf. He was tall with amazing armor. His ears were pointy and his hair, long. The ears were so interesting. He couldn't help but want to know if they heard more because of the shape.

"If you asked her that she'd tell you that she was a black arrow." Santanara smiled to himself.

"She would?" Zachary couldn't help but smile. His black arrow, who really is an immortal Elf Princess, still wants to run around spying for him.

"But she may not even survive." Karigan stood up angrily. "I hope Mornhavon is burning in hell!"

"He probably is." Telagioth smiled evilly.

It was a week later when Annora returned to the castle. She was dressed as a black arrow. No one would have recognized her if she didn't want them to.

That night, hidden within the walls of the castle, there was a party. Zachary, Estora and Laren cancelled all their plans and joined it. After being terrified at the bluntness of all the arrows' behavior, they soon enjoyed themselves.

Annora officially joined the black arrows to the joy of the Weapons present. The training sessions were extremely fun. She would keep them laughing and joking through the whole thing.

King Zachary was very grateful for her insight she gave him. She was the perfect Black Arrow and he was lucky to have her on his side.

But it was the balls that made her change back into the elf princess she was. After Mornhavon was defeated the Elves and Eletians were invited to every celebration they had.

Annora would arrive surrounded by her trusted advisors. She would wear long white dresses with gold bangles. Most of the night she'd spend dancing with King Santanara of the Eletians. They would twirl around the floor locked in each other's eyes.

Even the most senior weapons had trouble keeping a watch on the King on those nights. Most would watch Annora like over-protective brothers and sisters. They were all ready to punch Santanara if he did anything wrong or made her the tiniest bit upset.

Speaking of punching. It was a couple of weeks after Mornhavon's ending when Karigan punched King Zachary.

It was in front of the public audiences when she just cracked it and punched him.

Everyone went still and they all stared, even the weapons. Queen Estora suddenly burst into laughter. She laughed so loud then walked with Karigan back to the green rider common room.

Karigan's broach then abandoned her but she didn't mind too much. She went and lived with the Eletians, Queen Estora hugging her and waving her good friend off.

Karigan eventually had to write an apology letter to the King but she was never punished for punching him.

Years later the Elves and Eletians moved back into legend. That was around the same time that the Elves and Eletians made an alliance through their monarch's marriage and soon their first child, one of many.

The legend of Sacoridia's Knight punching the king, leaving and becoming immortal, and then marrying an Eletian became known to the families around the kingdom. A cute mushy love story to tell but the true, bloody, violent story was forgotten even though their stories lived on.

It was a fitting end to the heroes of Sacoridia.

**What did you think? What did you think about the whole story? Please review in answer or PM me :D I'd really appreciate it! :P  
Just a shout out to Aereal for being a WONDERFUL beta! And to Owlkin for my wonderful battle scene in which she helped with!  
That's all Louisiana out… **


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